


of pop greens and tangerines.

by ココダ - coco (arurun)



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Bigger Crew, Bird Friend is a Little Shit, Blind Character, Blind Usopp, Canon-Typical Violence, Competent Buggy (One Piece), Crew as Family, Disability, Expanded Crew, Gen, Haki (One Piece), Hugs, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Information Broker Buggy, Is there Romance? Yes they are all in love with Adventure, Luffy hates Usopp's Bird Friend, Nakamaship, Nami has a Metal Arm, Non-canon Haki lore, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Cuddling, Prosthesis, Temporary Character Death, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Zoro is Tired of Being Sane, except the ones that do
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 32
Words: 161,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24056980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arurun/pseuds/%E3%82%B3%E3%82%B3%E3%83%80%20-%20coco
Summary: Usopp wakes up on the Gecko Islands, unable to see anything but blotches of colour. On Conomi, Nami wakes up with two limbs less and the wrong tattoo on her shoulder.A time travel fanfic featuring a Blind Usopp and Metal Arm Nami.Current Arc: Sea route to Little Garden.
Relationships: Gin & Vinsmoke Sanji, Kaya/Usopp (One Piece), Nami & Usopp (One Piece)
Comments: 368
Kudos: 787
Collections: Time Travel and World Travel, best fic collection ever read, why sleep when you can read?





	1. blinded (disabled)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Coward's Redemption](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17550911) by [Brucenorris007](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brucenorris007/pseuds/Brucenorris007). 



**Sea Age 1527, Day 55.**

_Today, Robin and Chopper left. There are many more ruins to find, books to read, and patients to treat-- and there are places only the most careful feet can go._

_Usopp’s going too. He’s setting sail for Little Garden. His plan is to get Dory and Brogy, meet up with_ ~~_Cashew and Oreo_~~ _Kashii and Oimo, then he’s going to Elbaf, apparently._

_On this blue sea, we’ll definitely meet again._

**Sea Age 1527, Day 91.**

_We reach the Red Line once again, and Brook reunites with Laboon. We partied to the light of day, drunk and giddy and never happier._

_Brook stays with him. They’re going on their own, long-overdue journey together._

~~_Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Bink's brew!_ ~~

~~_Wave good-bye, but don't you cry: Our memories remain._ ~~

**Sea Age 1527, Day 147.**

_Vivi’s doing great. We took Zoro’s suggestion this time and kidnapped her out to sea._

~~_It’s okay, we’ll give her back before the next Reverie_ ~~

**Sea Age 1528, Day 10.**

_Luffy’s missing._ ~~_That fucking idiot._~~

**Sea Age 1528, Day 12.**

_Apparently he went to visit Katakuri. Can you believe him? Apparently he destroyed a few fleets of Marines on the way and ate half of the island._

~~_Dear lord that mochi bastard has a soft spot for the rubber glutton fuck knows why_ ~~

_For god’s sake, we’re the Emperors now! They’re not just going to let him waltz up to Totto Land and say hi!_

**Sea Age 1528, Day 22.**

_We don’t know what he talked about there, but now he’s leaving for real._

_He made sure to tell us his plans,_ ~~_he even talked to Coby_~~ _though it’s not the kind of plan I should write in the logbook before the day. It’s a promise to us only in words, and he’s going to find the others and tell them himself, before he does it._

 _No longer wearing his_ _stupid_ _straw hat, smiling like the sun._

_Our Pirate King walks away._

**Sea Age 1528, Day 68.**

_Zoro and Sanji stay behind in the New World._

~~_I hope they didn’t fight and drown once we left, that rowboat was small_ ~~

_Momonosuke is turning twelve soon, and Zoro’s been commissioned to be his personal master in the sword. He’s going to stay in Wano until Momo becomes king._

_Sanji opens his own sea restaurant in the New World, and it’s a big hit with only the most notorious of pirates. Of course, every worker in there packs a mean punch. Or kick._

**Sea Age 1528, Day 111.**

_Franky leaves on a passenger ship toward Sabaody, leaving behind the Thousand Sunny in the Sea Forest ten thousand meters under the surface._

_~~It’s amazing how there are daily ships in and out now. Shirahoshi-chan’s brothers are working really hard, aren’t they?~~ _

_Jinbei lords over the Fishman District now, approving efforts of bringing the island to the surface and the surface to the island. The Strawhat flag flies proud and strong at the entrance of Fishman Island, and Jinbei is the gatekeeper._

_Everyone’s settled down somewhere, and now it’s my turn._

_Today, I’m going to close this book, Sunny._

~~_I still haven’t decided where to go. I never knew I’d stay this long. Maybe I’ll pay Gen-san a visit._ ~~

~~_It really makes me wonder how Buggy decided to settle down where he did._ ~~

~~_He may have been a wimp, but he watched his own captain die and stood back up._ ~~

_The road we walked on narrowed, but as long as we’re alive, there’s always a way to keep going forward._

_Even though our journey's over, we’ll always be nakama, Sunny._

_The Strawhats are Eternal._

* * *

There are happy moments in the log. There are sad moments in there, too. But what it doesn’t have-- is the truth of what comes after.

It’s a deceivingly beautiful ending to a magnificent adventure.

With the execution of Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy, the era comes to an end. What comes next certainly lives up to the name of the previous generation.

Decades into the next era, someone will find the Thousand Sunny in the depths of the sea, and they will find their logbook.

And by the end of it, surely, they too, will mourn the bitter end of the Strawhats.

-

This isn’t the story of what comes after. We don’t have time for all that.

This is the story of two people who will make sure it never happens again.

-

**_All hail, God Usopp._ **

His arms are bound on either side of the wall, and his legs are crossed in a way that was him trying to get himself comfortable as he slept.

He wonders if Ace felt like this too, before his execution.

Man, his shoulders ache. Is that joint even still connected?

But Usopp knows that no one is coming for him. It’s not something he particularly wants at this point-- his time is over.

Speaking of time, it’s hard to grasp the flow when you’re in Level Six of a high-security prison. He wonders if the world is still intact out there.

He doesn’t resist, and just waits for the next storm to take the world.

 _The world has really become more boring since Luffy’s execution, hasn’t it?_ He would’ve been really disappointed. When will the successor of his legacy come by?

He wonders if Rayleigh felt like this, wearing those bomb shackles and pretending to be a slave in the human auction, just as a pastime.

He grasps some shred of news, every once in a while, from some newbie that wants to goad him into action. But Usopp is beyond that now. A brat’s ramble is far from anything that can anger him.

_“I heard Roronoa Zoro had to disembowel himself before the masses!”_

He closes his eyes and he goes to sleep, not at all expecting the scenery to change when he wakes up again.

-

He sits up.

His hands are free. And small. And his shoulders don’t have the chronic ache from long-term raise. 

And his vision, it’s blurry. It’s still blurry, as it has been for the past how many years since he was captured and chained to Level Six.But the world right now is _bright_ and _colourful_ and so many colours Impel Down evidently isn’t.

Blotches of so many colours, yet he can’t see the clouds.

For the first time in a while, he wishes he had his eyesight back.

(He still remembers the agony when those marines spilled acid over them, laughing in glee at the aspect of the greatest sharpshooter in the world, crippled forever.)

(Joke’s on them, Usopp can shoot them down a mile away, blind or not.)

_What’s going on?_

The sunlight is harsh against his head. The sea is a painful cobalt blue. The tombstone before him says Banchina, in loving memory of a beloved mother. He knows because he runs his hands over them and feels each carved letter, and he knows it’s new.

He hugs himself.

He’s too small. Too thin and soft and lacking muscles.

He closes his eyes (they’re useless anyways) and his mind stretches. He thinks he’s dreaming when he feels the amount of people in the town around him. The amount of gentle, good-coloured people.

His heart expands across the terrain, up strangely familiar roads, and rests on the girl that has always been his one lifeline.

(It’s Kaya.)

Usopp buries his face on his mother’s grave and sobs.

Sobs, because this isn’t a dream. It makes no sense, but it’s real, it’s happening, he’s young again, and all his adventures definitely aren’t his imagination. His blindness is proof of it.

He’s _back._

-

He may have lived alone after his mother died, but that didn’t mean there were no adults to take care of him.

Shortly after realizing Usopp hadn’t shown up for groceries a while, the local fishmonger’s wife decided she was going to pay the poor kid a visit. She even brought along lunch and veggies from the supermarket ossan.

What they stumbled upon was a horrifically messy house, and Usopp sitting upside down in the middle of that chaos like a kitten trying to pretend this wasn’t his fault.

Cue panicked screaming, fussy neighbourhood aunties, a doctor’s visit, and a very nice house remodeling session courtesy of the carpenters in the village.

-

In his past life, his reputation was ‘the boy who cried pirate’. 

This time, by total accident really, he becomes known as the boy who cried himself blind. Apparently.

Sudden blindness doesn’t quite occur so, _uh_ , suddenly, after all.

“No sign of an external injury,” the doctor says, “but it’s not going to get better. I suspect it’s something like what took Banchina… but instead of his life, it’s just taking his eyes.”

They can only theorize. Sudden blindness in one night? No way. But maybe it’s a disease that takes away his eyesight? That is just a little more likely than time travel. 

(They still don’t know what took Usopp’s mom from them, so maybe it’s this, just a different form of it? There are plenty of diseases that only attack certain body parts. So maybe Usopp is absurdly lucky and it only took his eyes instead?)

All in all, Usopp is glad that they’re going to explain this for them and he doesn’t need to come up with a lie for it.

But if they _do_ ask, it’s not like they’ll believe his tragic retelling of how his wife’s jealous ex-husband from his last life’s forbidden romantic relationship cast a curse over his eyes so he’d never be able to see his beloved’s beautiful face again.

-

Usopp spends his first few days home trying to figure out where everything is.

Haki can only see souls, so Usopp can’t see fixtures and furniture. 

He sits on his bed, and he admires the colours of the world again.The sky is a blue blur. His bed is a white blur. His desk is a brown, black, white and green blur. 

And a bit of red. What’s the red? 

It’s the wax seal from the letter Yasopp sent. Banchina had read it lovingly, and Usopp thought the wax seal was cool so he kept it like a lucky coin.

He can’t even remember how the pattern looked like anymore.

And now he’ll never remember.

He breathes out a heavy sigh.

Alright, he slapped his cheeks a few times. He blinked a few times, though his vision isn't clear at all. It’s only going to get worse herein, and maybe, that’s fine.

This time, he’ll wait for his captain, and this time, he’ll hold onto him tight.

* * *

**_Typhoon Warning, check Overhead._ **

Cat Burglar Nami had been a mercenary pirate for a few years before the purge began. 

Current wealth? Insurmountable. 

Number of claimed islands? Every island that owes her money belongs to her. Including Cocoyashi, that’s about thirty five in Paradise, Twelve in the New World, and one Fishman Island. Oh, and one in North Blue, because of Torao.

Treasures? Countless. 

Maps? Priceless.

What about the map of the world? That’s buried in the ground, completed and perfect, revered as a legend just like her Captain and the rest of everyone’s dreams that have already come true.

She spent most of her time in Fishman Island, being the core of human-fishmen relations, learning karate for fun, and occasionally mooting off Fukaboshi-chan’s royalty.

It _was_ a nice life.

She wonders what happened to her islands. She knows what happened to Cocoyashi. To Arabasta. To all her treasures on the sea, to Vivi.

(Has it really been so long since Vivi was executed?)

Vivi died, high and beautiful and as mighty as Ace’s death had been. She hopes they meet up there, princes and princesses in their own right, scorned for their dreams and dying for the ones they loved.

Nami is different.

Nami’s death is ugly.

(At least, she thinks she dies.)

Like a stray cat, she curls up in the corner of some trash, dirty and drenched and missing a few limbs. She sleeps, and no one quite sure knows if she’s dead yet.

But no one approaches, because a dead body at the side of the road is just that.

-

She struggled, she struggled until she was the last one left.

But just like the rest of them, her death is one no one is there to mourn.

-

Then she wakes up with a gasp, like she’s just drowned and came back up.

She first cringes, reaching toward her arm stump and whimpering at the dragging, clawing, grinding agony. Phantom pains, not again. Not again. Not again.

She has one foot less to brave against the soil. 

No, something’s wrong. 

The stumps have been there for years. She’s past the point of having phantom aches any time except rains. 

Why do the stumps feel fresh and raw?

She opens her eyes to knees that are too small, too free of scars. She’s between barrels, hiding from something.

Beside her, a bag full of beri. 

Sandals on her feel. A sleeveless shirt.

How long has it been since she’s worn a sleeveless shirt? Her tattoo was just too noticeable, so after a few years of gallivanting in a bikini top, she returned to the modesty of shirts. 

Without her right arm (her right arm, her right arm, how is she going to draw maps without her right arm?) she can’t lift the sleeve, but somehow, she knows what’s underneath the cloth.

Arlong’s mark.

She bites her lip, holding back a whine. But it’s fine. It’s fine.

She’s back, and this time-- this time she’ll find them again she just has to be patient. She just has to wait, quietly, and she’ll be back with them again.

She’s the weakest, but when it comes to having a stubborn will to live, Nami wouldn’t lose to Luffy.

-

The Arlong Pirates take her missing limbs hard, but she shows her stuff and she manages to convince them she’s worth enough to stay.

(Cat Burglar Nami has drawn a million maps in her life. She could draw with her teeth and feet if she had to, and they’d still be the picture of perfection. Losing her dominant arm is a small issue.)

She’s not sure how her missing limbs came back in time with her, but she isn’t going to question it. Stranger things have happened in the New World.

She’s missing her right foot from the ankle and down. She binds a contraption to it made of wood and stuck it in a boot, and it gives her enough leverage to walk normally.

But not having a right arm will be tough, so she’ll need to commission a prosthetic technician and get it fixed. 

Okay then. 

She’ll first save up enough for a pair of prosthetics, and get at least some of her muscle and finesse back in her body. 

Then, she'll slam Arlong back into the gutters.

Everything else comes after.


	2. adapting (enduring)

Usopp can’t read books anymore. 

That’s a shame. But it’s fine. All he needs to know is already in his head. 

He works out, runs laps around the island perimeters. The good thing about Gecko is that the beach shores the islands far and long, interrupted by a cliff before going downhill back toward the beach in one big oval of sorts.

He needs to get stronger.

Stronger, stronger, and stronger even more.

He has plenty of years to train, not just two. But he’s lacking everything he needs on Boyn. He doesn’t have access to his Pop Greens, and that’s already a big setback in strength.

...No, he doesn’t need them now. 

He’s a New World level pirate.

New World Level pirates don’t need their best weapons to win against the small fry of the East Blue. He needs to think calmly, slowly. No rush, no rush.

He needs to get back to his basic level first. Baby steps. First he familiarizes himself with blind fighting, building up his stamina and power on the way.

Then, back to crafting.

-

**_“If you find a Strawhat, you either run, or you kill it.”_ **

**A little after Robin’s public burning, that rule became a permanent fixture.**

**None of the Strawhats could stay long in one place-- that’s why Zoro and Jinbei were the first to fall, standing proud and strong before the gates of the place they treasured most.**

**(For Jinbei, that was literal.)**

**When it came to Usopp, the marines didn’t kill him.**

**With Elbaf behind him something he didn’t want to discard, he was captured. Like a joke, because they couldn’t think of a better way to trample over a warrior’s pride, they spared him and kept him alive.**

**_“Because only the small fry is left,_ ** **” they said. “** **_Surely, they’d pull a Mugiwara and break into Impel Down for you. Then we can capture them at once and you can all die together.”_ **

**_“But if they don’t, well maybe you weren't that important after all! Hahaha!”_ **

**Never once, not even once, did Usopp feel like that.**

**Never once had he felt a single bit less significant and important to his one remaining comrade he knows is alive and he knows will not come for him.**

**He just wants Nami, at least, to live out there, running free and strong.**

-

He wakes up with a start. 

It’s dark. It’s blurry, His arms hurt. _No they don’_ t. He can’t see. He can’t see. Where is he? What’s the time? The date? The year?

It’s so dark. Completely dark. No gray. No red. Just black black _black black black_ \--

What’s beside him? He’s sitting down. On a bed. _Why?_

He claws at his head. Crosses his legs over each other. Squeezes his shoulders in. Leans forward. Makes himself small, as small as he can.

 _Where’s everyone?_ Who’s there? Is anyone there? Anyone, _please_ , anyone.

He opens his eyes. It’s still complete darkness.

He sobs.

-

In a few hours, the sun finally rises over the sea, and colour filters in again.

Usopp looks at his own hands,and sits there.

He breathes, in and out.

It’s another hour before he can will himself to move again.

-

Tap-tap, tap-tap.

It’s become commonplace to hear Usopp’s walking stick click against the tiles of the streets. People are careful to stay out of his way, and children learn how to swirl right around him when they play tag.

If they run into him, Usopp is quick to reach out and set them right back on their feet. He’s gotten good at that, even without Observation.

And that’s what happens. 

A gentle chime of laughter. The flutter of a girl’s dress. The little pitter patter of her flats against the sun-baked pathway.

Usopp notices quickly who it is.

Kaya bumps into Usopp, shoulder to shoulder-- and Usopp quickly releases his hold on his walking stick, extending a firm arm for her to fall forward on. His other arm grasps her shoulder, keeping her upright as she regains her balance. 

Flustered, she gathers herself. The apology spills before she’s fully upright.

“I- I’m so sorry!” she says, then there’s a stunned pause.

Usopp smiles. “It’s fine. Are you okay?” he asks, though his eyes wander toward the ground, trying to locate his walking stick.

He closes his eyes for a bit. It’s one thing to look into the fog, but trying to look for something in it always makes him dizzy. 

Maybe he should keep his eyes closed more often.

He feels a gentle hand on his, and his cold cane is pushed into his hands.

“Here you go,” it’s Kaya’s voice again, gentle and apologetic. “I’m really sorry to trouble you. Thank you for catching me.”

Usopp closes his fingers over the walking stick. He opens his eyes to the platinum blonde and the angelic white, and he wants to cry because he can’t see her anymore.

He can’t even see the face of the woman he loved, and she doesn’t know their star-crossed magic just yet.

“Kaya-ojousama!” 

When Merry the butler rushes forward, Usopp senses her stiffening slightly, as if she was caught in the middle of a childish prank. He smiles fondly as Merry begins to lecture Kaya for running off.

After a hasty apology from Merry for the trouble, Usopp finds himself waving shyly back at their general direction as they leave.

“I live on top of the mountain, by the way!” she says cheerfully, “My name is Kaya! Nice to meet you! What’s your name?”

She’s a lot more energetic than Usopp remembers. Is this before she was diagnosed? That’s quite a bit earlier than when Usopp originally met her.

“I’m Usopp,” he barely remembers to say, “nice to meet you too.”

-

* * *

-

Nami has plenty of experience trying to self-maintain her limbs.

But right now, she’s a growing girl. She’ll need a lot more than the first installment, because these limbs will need to be changed as she grows.

And fuck, they’re heavy.

Mekani Isle isn’t as advanced as they are in the future, so she’ll have to handle them weighing a ton or more on her limbs until technology improves. 

Who knows, she might get stronger like this.

One drawback. These are way too fucking heavy to swim in. If she drops in the sea, she’ll be a literal hammer, even more literal than Devil Fruit users.

If only she could jump into Paradise, make her way to Baldimore, and get these limbs done there...

But it’s fine, beggars can’t be choosers. Nami might love money and act spoiled, but she certainly knows when she can and can’t be picky.

Man, Nami hates being poor.

-

She finally brings up enough courage to visit the tangerine grove. She’s come back to Arlong Park a few times, but the town is a place she doesn’t visit much.

She betrayed them, after all. She needed them to think she was a witch, she needed Arlong to think she really turned for money. So she stayed away-- but now, now she’s finally home. _Home_.

(How long has it been?)

Gen-san’s reaction is just… hard to watch.

Cause he just breaks down sobbing, then screams into the void, and then demands for his guns _wait wait wait wait wait! Calm down! Calm down!_

She’s a little embarrassed. Thank god she showed up at the house instead of the village. She might just accidentally bring the Arlong Park confrontation up to half a decade too early.

Then there’s Nojiko. She takes the metal hand in hers, holds it gently-- and then she leans into Nami’s shoulder and cries.

Nami is the younger sister. She doesn’t know what to do when her big sister cries.She doesn’t remember the last time she’s seen Nojiko cry.

She doesn’t remember the last time she's seen _Nojiko_.

(The Marines took everything. Burned every island. Gecko. Conomi. Dawn. All of them. All the people, their severed heads lined up on the newspaper like a symbol and a warning for the world.)

So she cries too, wailing into her big sister’s shoulder, because she’s alive.

She’s so glad she’s back here, and her arm and foot was the only toll for this chance.

-

**_Princess Nefertari Vivi’s execution was where the gears grinded and broke apart._ **

**_Even if Luffy was gone, this was a declaration of war against the Strawhats. There was no way any of them were going to cop out and let it happen._ **

**_But just like it had been when it was Ace, they lost her anyways._ **

**_And they lost Chopper while they were trying to escape._ **

**_History repeats itself, and the World Government will never not win._ **

**_Nami’s known that fact for so long-- and yet, she wanted to hope that this time, just this time, would be different… it wasn’t._ **

-

Her food was tossed over her. Cream soup drenching her hair, seeping into her skin, leaving a stain on her clothes.

It wasn’t even hot. 

The door slammed shut with laughter. 

Nami wondered if any of the maps were ruined. Perhaps a few specks here and there, but nothing unsalvageable. That’s a relief. If only she could burn it all.

_Not yet. Not yet._

She’s a New World level pirate, but every Fishman here was too, once upon a time. She shouldn’t push her luck just yet.

_Just a little more. Just a little longer._

Her fist tightened on the floor, clasping against nothing.

( _What am I waiting for?_ )

Luffy’s not coming. Jinbei’s not coming. They’re all in different parts of their own pasts, unable to come and save her. Because they don’t know her.

(No one came back with her. If they did, they’d cross the seas for her before Bellemere even died. She’s alone.)

(She has to save herself.)

She stepped out of her room. Everyone was having their dinner in the hall, boisterously making noise for their latest raid nearby. Nami made her way to the front porch, and dove into the sea.

It’s faster and colder than a proper bath.

-

“Ahhh, Nami, Naaaami, wait.”

Hair still drenched and her sandals in her hands, Nami turns around. There’s Hachi, looking less like an intimidating eight-armed man and more like a flustered little big brother as he scampered up to Nami, looking over her carefully.

“Was it Kaneshiro again? Oh man,” his hand hovers hesitantly before the girl, “did you get hurt?”

Nami finds herself wordlessly shaking her head.

Was Hachi this nice before? She’s only had bad memories of this place, never once thinking any of them were any form of good against the bad. 

She doesn’t quite remember Hachi ever coming by to console her.

Hachi reaches around himself, then rushes inside only to come back out with a towel, draping it over her head, though he removed his hand as quickly as he could, as if she didn’t want to touch her too much.

No.

He didn’t want _her_ to be touched too much.

Because he’s a Fishman. And Fishmen are big and brawly and scary.

(It’s experience. Because no matter what Hachi says and who he follows, he’s always got a soft spot for Koala and the soft spot stays and extends to Nami.)

The young Nami would have been frozen with fear and apprehension, worried for this deceptive moment of kindness. Bracing for a punch or a shove back into the waters.

But it isn’t coming, Nami knows that. She recognizes this towel.

She remembers hiding it in the corner of her room and tossing it the first moment she could because she was disgusted by it, hating every moment of this fake family feeling. This fake, bargaining kindness that to her, was in no way, no possible way, true.

“Thanks, Hachi,” she said.

She misses the way Hachi startles. She takes the towel gratefully, wiping her hair down and pressing the hem to the joint of her metal arm. 

She’ll wash the towel and give it back.

-

Back downstairs, Hachi watches Nami walk back to her room, leaving a faint trail of watery footprints.

“What’re you doing outside, Hachi?” Chew sticks his head out the door-- “wait, are you crying, Hachi? Seriously?? You’re drunk, aren’t you.”

“M’not cRYiNG”


	3. best friends (found family)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna speed things up from the next chapter on! dsjaklsfjklasj I'm so honoured you guys are enjoying this, I hope you enjoy this chapter too! :) ♥️

Usopp doesn’t quite know what to think.

“Usopp-san! I came to visit!”

Sandalled feet against sand and a strong flutter of a sunhat against the wind, a cheery bundle of yellow bounces up in his direction. 

Usopp leans against the wall of his house, a wooden plank between his lap and resting on his shoulder, and a few dozen piles of chopped wood sprawled all around him.

“Don’t step on the nails, Kaya,” he warns.

In the corner of his vision, the yellow bounces a bit to the left, stepping daintily over the box of bolts before crouching down near him to inspect the little wooden cube in his hands.

“Kaya-ojou-sama,” Merry calls from not too far away, “three paces away, please.”

 _Yes Kaya, when someone is carving wood, you stay five steps away or get showered in splinters and whine_.

“Good morning, Kaya, Merry,” Usopp greets, “what brings you?”

He can _hear_ Kaya pout from here. “I came to visit!” she says, emphasizing _the visit_ in a way that means ‘I came to play, obviously’, “hey, what’re you making?”

Hell if Usopp knows. The wood started off looking like a brown blur, and right now? it’s just a smaller brown blur. 

“Does it look like something?” Usopp asks instead, holding it out so Kaya could take it. “I’m just practicing how to not cut myself while carving it, so I didn’t really think about the shape.”

Kaya takes it to inspect, and Usopp gestures dramatically at the piles of firewood around him.

“That aside, look at all this!” he brags, “you see yesterday, a big brown mountain… bear, I think? that was two-- three-- ten! meters tall came down, saw me and he thought I was a tengu! So he chopped me a lot of firewood as an offering!” 

“Really?” Kaya asks, hopping forward those three paces again. “That’s amazing!”

“Do people give offerings to tengu, usually?” Usopp can almost imagine the exasperated grimace on Merry’s face. 

He huffs, opting to expertly ignore the butler, “and yep! He’s coming down again to cook my dinners and keep my fires lit!”

Usopp’s current tactic to avoid babysitting aunts and uncles from the village (because no one in their right mind leaves a newly blind child to his house by the sea, alone) is to make up the wildest stories to get them too tired to question it.

Because sure as heck they won’t believe him if he says he’s making his own meals _blind_ and handling himself with the experience of an adult that hasn’t been able to see for a long, long time.

He still has babysitters though. They usually make sure he’s not dead, ask him about his day, cook him a few meals, then they go. Merry wrote his name on the volunteer roster (upon Kaya’s insistence) and today is his turn. 

Kaya sounds like she’s going to jitter right out of her skin, “then, can I stay the night and meet him? Pleeease?”

Usopp squawks, “oh, no, no, you can’t!” he panics, “he’s uh-- uhhhh,” his eyes dart around away from Kaya and then they close, “shy around girls!”

Before Kaya can deflate and Usopp can spontaneously combust, Merry pats them both on the head to stifle the growing fairy tale.

“As interested as we are in Mister Mountain Bear, I will have to remind you Usopp-kun-- don’t talk to strangers if you don’t know who they are,” Merry says. 

Usopp hums. They think this imaginary bear is a man. Okay.

He hears the click of a pocket watch. “Now then, Kaya-ojousama, and Usopp-kun. Shall we head to lunch?”

-

**“So this is Momoiro Cafe… oh! Koala-san!” Usopp felt the need to bow as he greeted her, “it’s nice to see you again!”**

**Retiring from piracy at thirty, Usopp had plenty of time to dabble. He taught the kids on Elbaf how to shoot. He found a legitimate Island of Snipers and had a lot of fun there. He claimed a few islands for himself and visited them every few months.**

**And most important of all, he joined the Revolutionary Army on a part-time basis.**

**“Sogesopp-san, did you come by to play?” Koala says, sarcastic, but brimming with honest joy. “Oh would you listen to this? Sabo-kun and I were on a mission--”**

**Expertly, Usopp sat himself on the opposite side on the table, setting down his bag and leaning on the desk comfortably.**

**The agent he was talking to excused himself, and Usopp waved with a sheepish apology. A moment later, he was served tea in a pink and heart-painted cup.**

**“...Then when he showed up again he was holding the** **_prince_ ** **in his arms! Could you believe that?!” Koala gesticulated wildly. “The building was on fire and even though it was just a spying mission he went and blew everything up anyways!”**

**Usopp burst into laughter, “I take it that's the new guy in the East Division that’s wearing the hat, right? Saw him on my way in.”**

**“That’s him! He’s doing a great job, but man, could Sabo** **_stop_ ** **adopting every troubled kid he finds?” Koala complains, “he idolises Sabo so much we just know he’s going to grow up into a pain in the ass.”**

**Usopp sips his tea.**

**“Well, he has to pass the baton somehow,” he says. “I can’t wait to see how the new generation ruins the world.”**

**“They’re terrible,” Koala says, scowling fondly.**

**“No,” Usopp says, “they’re the** **_Worst_ ** **.”**

**Conversations like these were common now. Like old war buddies, Usopp sought solace in people of the previous generation, trying to get a semblance of closure in reminiscing.**

**“Sometimes, I wish we could go back to those times,” Usopp says.**

**Koala smiles, a little sad, “optima dies... prima fugit.”**

**_The best days are the first to flee._ **

-

He sits on his bed, his stew cooking and his mind wandering. 

Right now, he’s about ten years old, give or take a few years. He can’t read newspapers, so he can’t know the exact date. Dates are a blur now that his days are hard to tell apart. 

He does ask Kaya to read the news for him, though. Just to keep a lookout on the workings of the world.

What’s the plan? Is there a plan?

He needs a plan.

What should change and what shouldn’t? Honestly, Usopp loved every moment of his journey, the bitter and the sweet, all of them.

The only problem was what came after, the cruelty of their strength and the despair they all felt as they were picked off, one by one.

Why couldn’t they have a nice retirement life like Rayleigh?

The problem is the world.

Princess Nefertari Vivi loved her country. But her love for her country made her go obediently toward the execution platform. No one can say it was right to take her away from her throne-- but if she wasn’t on the throne, maybe she would have lived to pass it down to a daughter or a son.

They have to hit the world harder than they did before.

(Is that even possible?)

Usopp laughs to himself. Is fighting the government seriously his calm-minded first choice? The old him would’ve just gone to sleep crying for his I-can’t-blow-up-anymore-WG-flags-or-I’ll-die-disease.

He’s sure changed, hasn’t he?

 _I’m so_ … he ran a hand through his arm. Smooth, clean, but he remembers the place of each and every scar that ran through this very limb. _I’m so… wrong, right now._

He can’t be the Usopp that Luffy met. He can’t be that guy anymore-- the guy that was the weakest, was the wimpiest, yet was so irreplaceable. 

Usopp can’t be that guy.

He has to be someone different. Someone better.

-

* * *

-

Nami’s covered in oil and grease and surrounded by nuts and bolts.

“Nami, straighten your posture,” Nojiko chides.

Nami makes a whiny sound. “But these things are heavy!”

Muscles are thick and ugly, but at this rate, she’ll need a toned figure just to handle walking around for more than too long. The long-term strain will also give her joint issues… 

“You sure bought a lot of stuff this time around,” Nojiko says. The house, usually smelling like fresh dew and oranges-- now it was filled with the slightly pungent odor of wax and oil. Not awful, just different.

“Sorry, Nojiko. Maybe I’ll keep them at Arlong Park inste--”

“No, no, I didn’t say that,” Nojiko interrupts, “you can keep them here.”

Where had her little sister, boyish but delicate and so adorable, gone? She’s so at home among gears, robots, and machinery. 

It’s like her lifelong dream of mapping the world has taken a back seat, and her priorities have sorted from map-money-beauty, to power-map-money.

She now cares little enough about money that Nojiko gets a monthly bag of gold she can use to pay off their headcount taxes.

Nojiko thought Nami was trying to save up? How is she paying for those limbs, investing in Nojiko’s allowance, and saving up all at once? Where is she getting the money?

She leans against the side of the door.

Nami’s tattoo is in full prideful view-- something Nami tries her hardest not to do anywhere outside of Arlong’s eyes. And Nojiko hates it. It’s as if Nami is adapting, trying to become one of them by first numbing her heart. 

It’s like the naive and innocent part of Nami, the Nami that dreamed of maps and cried while stealing books-- it’s like it was all lost along with her right arm.

But it’s not a bad thing. This Nami is stronger-- so much stronger, tougher, and more resilient. So much, Nojiko holds back tears. 

_Is this still her Nami?_

-

_The both of us, we have to rely on our brains to survive._ Usopp had told her before, and it’s been her lifelong code.

 _You do what I can’t do, and I’ll do what you can’t do_. That’s something Sanji said-- it’s the general rule of the Strawhats, paraphrased from Luffy’s own rambles.

There’s not a soul in the crew that doesn’t love it. 

Nami navigates. She keeps the crew going. That’s her job, and it’s been everything to her and her crew-- it’s the most important part, and it’s her pride.

But this time, that’s not enough.

This time, she has to pull her weight even more.

She has to be dependable.

She was the last to remain last time. It’s not because she was strong-- the strongest died first. She was the last because she was the coward, running and hiding.

What would adventure be without fun?

But what is adventure with only bitter aftermath?

“Hey, Bellemere-san,” Nami says, looking out toward Bellemere’s grave and praying for more than her mother’s soul. 

She put a hand on the grave.

“One day, I’ll get strong enough to defeat Arlong. And then we’ll all be free again,” she promises. “Then I might have to leave, but it’ll all be fine.”

Because this time, she can’t just be a damsel in distress.

“Watch over me until then, okay?”

-

**Nami spent her post-retirement life in Fishman Island. She was a beaming icon for their interspecies relations, and picture books were made of their story.**

**Largely censored and sugared in, but it was the story that made a note in the world, showing people just how cruel both sides were, yet forgiveness was possible.**

**Fishman island was her home.**

**She even worked part time in Mermaid Cafe (though she wasn’t a mermaid, but people loved her anyways) with Caimie, and helped out with Hack’s Fishman Karate lessons to the kids.**

**With a certain unexpected someone.**

**“Hey Bepo-chan, does Torao really not mind you coming by so often?”**

**The Polar Bear Mink straightened, then he nodded. “Captain is hanging around Punk Hazard recently. Trying to find new things. They’re always on the fire side, but I’m bad with that. So if I’m here, they can stay there longer. Sorry.”**

**“You’re still apologizing a lot,” Nami chuckled when Bepo followed with another apology. “What about back at Zou? How’s Carrot doing? I heard she’s graduated from the Musketeers?”**

**Bepo nodded. “Lord Nekomamushi and Lord Inuarashi are retiring, and we’re not too sure who to pick as a successor. All the votes right now are between Carrot, Pekoms, and… me. Sorry.”**

**Nami perked up at that last one.**

**“Sorry!” Bepo quickly covered up, flustered, “I mean-- captain said he doesn’t mind but-- I’m sorry. I’m sorry-- I mean-- uh, sorry.”**

**Nami laughed.**

**“A human and a mink learning Fishman Karate, talking about how one of us is going to be Lord next week.” Nami muses, “a decade ago, this was unthinkable! Man, if Luffy saw this, he’d be so confused, wouldn’t he?”**

**Bepo went silent at that.**

**“He’d call me a mystery Polar Bear again…”**

**Nami snorted.**

**“He definitely would!”**

-

“Where’s Nami?”

“She just jumped into the sea.”

“Oh-- wait, WHAT?!” Chew lurches forward in surprise. He swirls on Kuroobi, because dude you could sound a little more like you care! That kid’s like fourteen! Or fifteen. 

Plus, after Hachi kicked up a fuss about properly feeding the brat, there have been shifts on who looks after Nami and makes sure someone doesn’t accidentally punt her across the town on purpose. It’s currently Chew’s turn and he only looked away for two minutes, he swears.

Kuroobi scratches the back of his neck. “I mean, she’ll be fine. She’s human, but she can swim, right?”

Chew kinda understands why Hachi kicked up a fuss now. All of these people need a lesson on the difference between fishmen and humans _again_.

“Nami has a metal arm,” Chew grinds out, dashing toward the coast and trying to figure out if he should jump in, “and that thing is heavier than two of Hachi’s swords, okay? Would you want to swim in the water with two of Hachi’s swords?”

There’s a pause.

Then, “fuck,” Kuroobi says, “Hachi’s going to kill us.”

Chew explodes, “I’ll kill you _first_!” he yells.

The threat goes unfulfilled though, because the next second, Moomoo surfaces, a certain orange-haired girl on his head.

Nami’s laughing. She’s the happiest anyone has ever seen in her, in like, ever. For Chew and Kuroobi, a very unsettling memory rises-- and they shake their heads, dismissing it.

They chose to follow Arlong. No sense in being sentimental for _that_ little girl anymore.

Drifting over with half his head above the surface, Moomoo meekly delivers Nami to dry ground. He accepts a head pat, and then Nami bids him goodbye before he returns to his undersea nest.

Chew and Kuroobi just stare, wide-eyed.

“Nami, what were you doing under the sea?” Kuroobi asks, sounding less antagonistic than he usually did towards her but he wasn’t in the state of mind for racist jabbing right now. 

Nami swipes her bangs back. _Oh hey her hair’s getting longer._ “Huh?” she notices the two as she picks up a towel at the side. _Isn’t that Hachi’s towel??_ “I went for a swim. Moomoo almost ate me.”

_Moomoo almost WHAT_

“I thought your limbs were too heavy to swim in,” Chew says, “they’re fine now?”

Nami shrugs, “it’s been getting easier. Maybe I’m getting used to it. It’s shallow here, so it’s fine anyways. I can climb up when the situation calls for it.” She walks toward her room again, probably to get changed.

“Wait, Nami!” Kuroobi calls. When Nami turns around, he’s at a loss for words. Just two weeks ago this kid was still a cowering little girl just as pitiful as Koala had once been.

_Now? Not a shred of fear._

_Just tolerance, and a professional sort of camaraderie._

Kuroobi trails off. “It’s… dinnertime soon.”

Nami nods. “I’ll eat after.”

“No no no no nono,” Chew interrupts quickly, “No.” Then when Nami looks at him weirdly, he goes, “you’re eating on the same table. No Kuroobi, don't look at me, do you want Hachi to explode on us again? No? Okay. Nami? You heard me.”


	4. baby chick (seagull sail)

It’s becoming commonplace now.

Waking up sweaty, breathing hard, crying-- not being sure of what’s real and what isn’t. The darkness isn’t helping. His heart hurts, his vision’s a blur, and nothing is right.

He sobs for an hour. Jogs for another. Then he works out until the sun rises, and he takes a shower before Kaya drops by.

Kaya’s been dropping by really often now. Every day if Merry allows.

It’s strange. Usopp hasn’t particularly done anything to make a real change in the situation, but it changed. Simply because this time, he’s blind.

And Kaya, the rich girl without friends, had a penchant for the strange blind kid without friends. Usopp’s honestly a little conflicted.

But it’s fine.

“Hey, Usopp-san! Tell me a story,” Kaya says, sitting down beside him as he works on a slingshot, fiddling around blindly and trying to make it perfect.

Usopp smiles.

“Have I told you about the time we fought a dragon and then made a centaur friend?”

-

Usopp is slowly getting used to darkness. He still hates it, but when he feels the leaves under his bare feet and the gentle dew of leaves against his cheeks, he calms down just a little.

It’s like self-imposed therapy. One day even colour is going to be taken from him and he has to prepare for that.

So he feels the world with his skin, breathes the world’s air, hears the sounds of the night, and tries to tell them apart.

Standing between two trees, with leaves crunching underfoot, Usopp feels something crawl past his arms.

But he’s fine with it. He’s always been the best with arachnids and myriapods. He doesn’t particularly care for what’s on his fingers and what’s skittering past his feet.

He just cares how many, and if they find him a threat. And if he clicks his tongue once, he keeps track of who clicks back twice.

He stretches. 

And stretches.

He’s never managed it before-- but in this life, his Observation has to surpass even Sanji, who can see miles and minutes into the future at his peak.

He stops walking.

_That’s..._

He stops at a tree, looking up though he can’t see. There’s a life force there-- just one, very small, very tender-- but the flock flew this morning, didn’t it?

Usopp starts climbing.

-

Khlahadore is here.

Right now, he’s recuperating from wounds and a certain degree of malnutrition, all in Kaya’s mansion’s first floor guest room.

As unsettling as it is, Usopp finds strictly nothing wrong with treating an injured pirate seeking refuge after a near-miss with execution. The problem is his ideal once he realizes just how much money Kaya’s parents have.

(If Usopp wasn’t blind, he could look for that wanted poster…)

Regardless, Usopp listens to Kaya as she drones on about his injury report that she’s managed to snatch from her parents. 

“Potential water damage in the lungs from nearly drowning, but papa doesn’t know for sure yet,” she’s listing them off her fingers. She must have memorized it, because she can’t take the physical copy out of the house in case of an emergency, “multiple compound fractures in the left tibula and--”

For a girl that will eventually start worrying herself to the point of sickness, she sure is fine with very descriptive gruesome talk. And this is already past the bloody parts Usopp felt queasy imagining. 

Who is this very scary girl and what have they done to soft-spoken sweetheart Kaya?

“And we don’t have a hospital on this island so we moved into the basement to do the surgery and--”

Kaya’s parents must’ve really been focusing, if they didn’t notice Kaya following them.

Why has Usopp never known that Kaya’s basement was the island’s only hospital? Heck, they have a _basement_? What else?

“--then just them two! And town doctor of course. They just all gathered in there with super cool equipment and clothes and routines and all and then they--”

This is going to take long, isn’t it? 

-

“It’s a little ball of fluff!” 

Kaya squeals, and Usopp has to panic a little because the house is a mess and Kaya just charges over a few things, and hopefully she didn’t shuffle them too far because Usopp only vaguely remembers what’s where.

Merry has stopped coming over as a chaperone. 

Dropping Kaya’s name in restaurants is good enough to pay for the meal, so with how independent and responsible(™) Kaya likes to be, they’ve deigned to leave the kids to their daily playdates.

Which means Kaya is first to find out about Usopp’s new pet. 

It’s a very small, freshly hatched seabird. It’s barely got any feathers, sleeping weakly in a nest made of twigs and vines and newspaper cuttings and a worn felt blanket.

It had been too weak to raise, so it was abandoned.

Usopp is in no way a bird expert, but he thought he’d try anyways.

“Can I touch it?” Kaya asks, “I’ve never seen one so small!”

Usopp sighs. “Touch it like you would touch an eyeball without gloves.”

“So, don’t touch it?”

“Yeah. At least until more feathers come in.”

“What if I wear glo--”

“No, that’s not the point.”

Kaya pouts.

“Try not to yell too much at it, too. It’s a baby, so loud noises might startle it,” Usopp says, smiling as he sat down, a towel around his shoulders. 

Kaya makes an affirmative sound.

“Do you know what kind of bird is it? Is it gonna get really big and cool?” she asks excitedly, “oh! Can I come help raise it? Please please please please?”

Usopp stares at her excited outburst, because he’s vaguely sr she’s right before him sparkling with glee.

“Ah… I was planning to ask you anyways, cause I can’t really raise anything when I can’t see…” he mutters, unable to cope with the sheer radiation of sunshine from her. “As for what kind of bird it is… I’m not sure.”

“You don’t know?” Kaya asks.

Usopp doesn’t say anything. He just stares.

There’s a pause.

Then Kaya balks, flustered, “I’m sorry! I forgot you can’t see!”

-

-

-

“It seems like Hachi’s taken a liking to you recently, Nami.”

No matter how many years pass, Nami will never get over her bone-breaking fear of Arlong.

When she faces Arlong, singled out and standing before him-- She feels her heart seize in her chest, her shoulders tighten, her toes shrill up, her knees weaken.

Even though she’s long past the point of being afraid of Fishmen, even though she’s long past the point of forgiveness and overcoming trauma, even though she lived her last years amongst Fishmen-- Arlong is different.

“That’s fine,” Arlong says, begrudgingly. “You may be human, but you are one of us. I’m pleased to see how you’re assimilating.”

She’s not assimilating into anything. She’s just-- just _adapting_.

She’s not tolerating Arlong. She’s just ignoring him, gritting her teeth and biding and enduring and trying, trying, trying, trying not to explode this instant.

Because if it’s just Arlong, she can take him out.

She can think of various ways-- sneaking up on him, fighting face-to-face… Arlong’s biggest weakness is how much he looks down on humans. Nami can win, easy.

But if she wins, then what?

Which marine base will come to her aid and arrest Arlong? Which base will lock him up and let her claim the bounty?

None. None of them will, if Nami can even get that far.

The entire community in Arlong Park will take her out in an instant, stronger or not. Because skills aside, Fishmen really are ten times stronger than humans, and Nami is most of all a weak human girl with half a barely-functional metal limb.

“I look forward to hearing of your endeavors, my _dear_ little mapmaker,” Arlong sings, and Nami wants to bite his hand at her chin. Wants to throw up. 

She bites her lip and clenches her fist and agonizes because Arlong _knows_ . Arlong knows that Nami _can_ do something, but he knows she _won’t_. He’s smart like that. 

When Arlong finally releases her to entertain one of Kuroobi’s comments she doesn’t hear, she turns around and leaves.

If only she was stronger.

Stronger than Robin, who could bear to run for twenty years under the radar.

Stronger than Zoro, who would no doubt, have destroyed this place in seconds.

Stronger than Luffy, who faces all his problems and always comes out victorious.

**_I do what you can’t, and you do what I can’t._ **

Nami waits and waits but no. No, she won’t, can’t, mustn’t wait for a Prince Charming this time. She can’t just-- expect to be saved.

She needs to pursue the fastest way around. The fastest, peaceful, efficient, and the only route without corruption in its wake. Who, in this era, can subdue Arlong with ease?

_That’s it._

-

Nami sets sail.

First, she’ll cross the Calm Belt into the Grand Line. 

Going through Reverse Mountain takes too long, too much effort, and too shaky chances of actually getting through. It’ll take too long to actually get anywhere after that if they get caught up by Laboon or Whiskey Peak on the way.

She needs stable transportation from therein, and then she’ll set out to look for the Knight of the Sea, Jinbei. Hopefully, he’s in Paradise.

If he isn’t, then Nami’s plan is a bust.

She can’t go through the seduction route this time. It’s significantly harder to charm a pedophile when one of your arms are made of not-flesh, so Nami disguises as a guy. 

The scars from her prosthetic arm surgery and the toned muscles she's been trying to accumulate can certainly help. It’s a relief that her chest hasn’t developed much yet, since she’s barely a teenager for now.

Chest bound tight with bandages that cross over her left shoulder, expertly covering the Arlong mark as if it was an injury-- Nami puts on a tank top to show off her metal arm proudly.

With a few expert lines and pleas, the young and eager _Namizo_ hikes a ride on a marine ship as their newest chore boy.

She may not be as great as Robin at this, but Nami’s got her fair track record in the infiltrate-and-betray business as well.

-

One miscalculation.

“Do your job, probably, Smoker-kun. Can’t believe you’re still acting like this when you’re almost in your terrible threes. Hina’s in disbelief.”

Namizo is supposed to deliver this stack of letters and the newspapers to the highest ranking officers of this ship.

Which, in hindsight, she _should have checked_ , is Lieutenant Commander Hina and Lieutenant Smoker.

The latter has his legs on the desk, lounging on the sofa. The former is staring disapprovingly at him, sitting on her desk and reading through other paperwork.

Namizo freezes shock still at the door, despite having knocked and being given permission to enter. She swallows, then quickly snaps out of it when the two turn to her. 

She salutes quickly, greeting them as she enters and hands the papers to Lt.Commander Hina.

Her smile is awkward, her posture is stiff.

Who can blame her? Of all the ships she could’ve snuck on…

It’s okay. She’s not Burglar Cat Nami, she’s not even a pirate. Wait, she is. She’s an Arlong Pirate right now. Man, that’s trippy. But it’s okay. Strictly speaking, she’s Namizo, the new and nervous chore boy that’s working _his_ best mopping floors every day.

Namizo confidently bids _his_ superiors goodbye, and closes the door a little too loudly on the way out.

Then _he_ runs, because that was scary.

Looks like their first Smoker confrontation in the future is going to be awkward. Nami sighs in relief once she’s past the immediate vicinity of the office.

Man, Smoker’s not even a captain yet. Time travel really is trippy… he’s always been strangely perceptive about pirates, though. Nami should try to stay far from there from now, just in case. She won’t want her cover to be blown too quickly.

_Anyways, today’s chores are over_. Time to actually work.

Where’s the communications room?


	5. blind waiter (crossdressing spy)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> quarantine is making me lose my mind and that's why there's another chapter of this already daskjdlajdakl hi guys i love you guys please accept my eternal love and virtual hugs
> 
> I'll probably put a li'l timeskip cos we all wanna see canon events (...right?), so next chapter will be the last before Luffy finally comes in. Which means a timeskip! ...I already said that oops
> 
> lots of love, enjoy the chapter!

Kaya’s dad is a very cool guy. 

He has a very nice boat. Usopp can't actually see it, but if there’s something his Haki has always been good for, it was seeing things like this. It’s a loved ship, though small. 

Usopp almost wonders where it went after Kaya’s dad died last time…

“So! Usopp-san, there’s this new Sea Restaurant out, and my dad says he wants to bring us out there, you too!”

Usopp pauses.

“...pardon?” 

-

It’s less awkward than he thought, intruding on this family dinner table like this. 

(He can’t remember the last time he had anything like this with Yasopp and Banchina. It’s bittersweet, just a bit sour, but so, so sweet. He’ll have to thank Kaya’s parents later.)

Merry’s staying home to look after Khlahadore, so only a couple of servants, and a few fishermen came along to sail the boat. This was as much a business trip as it was a casual outing. Of course, Kaya’s dad paid for all the meals.

“Here you go.”

Usopp flinches slightly at the voice beside him.

Kaya’s mom had ordered just anything for him, because he can’t read the menu-- but Usopp still feels nervous. He’s been feeling Sanji’s small, weak, but so familiar presence since they arrived, and it’s taking all he has to distract himself from it.

Not yet. It’s not time yet.

He can’t. Shouldn’t. There’s no reason nor logical way for him to suddenly wrap this waiter in a hug and cry on his shoulder. They’re not there yet.

But that voice, oh god, that voice.

“Usopp-san, are you alright?” Kaya asks.

Usopp nods, “I-” he swallows, “I’ll try my best!” Then he fumbles around for the fork, feels around again for the plate-- yes, he’s gone through what’s where before the food arrived. It’s just carbonara, it should be easy enough to eat…

His hand knocks against the glass, and sends it toppling down the table. He yelps, and Kaya squeaks when the water splashes onto her dress.

“Oh god! I’m so sorry, Kaya!”

Kaya chuckles a little, and Usopp sees (is that Kaya’s mom or dad?) move over, chastising them slightly and moving towards them, probably to dab at the damp spot.

Luckily it was just water.

But instantly, Usopp feels reality crash down on him. 

He’s being an inconvenience. He can’t see, and this-- this is a disability. He’s legally classified as disabled, and… and for the first time, he’s really seeing how this sets him apart from everyone else around him.

Being blind is fine if you’re locked onto land, full of help.

But if you’re planning to become a great warrior of the sea, being blind takes you a few hundred miles behind an average person from the very beginning.

Usopp may have years of experience ahead of him, but his blindness is an undeniable handicap-- something no one, no skill, can truly, fully replace. 

-

**“Admiral Fujitora, sir.”**

**Usopp still had his eyes back then. Nervous, undercover, a (sort of) rookie in the revolutionary’s new ranks and he just didn’t want to pass up this chance.**

**“Former,” of course, the man already knew Usopp was there. They’ve faced off a handful of times, up until Fujitora defected and retired and Luffy’s execution was scheduled. “What brings you here, God?”**

**Usopp can’t help but cringe at the nickname. Fujitora had been there when Usopp was (absurdly, no matter how many times he reflects on it) declared divine amongst a whole town of people.**

**“Have you grown tired of the world?” Fujitora asks, sensing Usopp’s internal conflict before the words even escape the younger man. “Have you seen too much?”**

**Usopp wants to nod. He doesn’t. Instead, he closes his fists and lets his breath go out slow.**

**Fujitora looks out toward the sea, as if he could see the magnificent blue waves, ripples delicate and dainty.**

**The sea never seems to change, even as the world crumbles around it.**

**The strongest material in this world is not diamond, it’s not vearth, it’s the sea.**

**It sustains.**

**“I have,” Usopp admits. “I needed to see the world, purest and ugliest and sharpest and I had to know everything. It’s been hard.”**

**Fujitora listens.**

**“But now that my captain is gone, I find myself… I just wonder,” Usopp says, “if I can finally will myself to stop looking.”**

**Fujitora smiles.**

**“It just takes courage, God,” he says, and Usopp sighs. “I’m sure the bravest warrior of the seas has a lot of that to spare, does he not?”**

**“I’ve never been brave,” Usopp tells him.**

**Fujitora laughs. “Sure you are, God!”**

**Usopp finally explodes, “stop calling me that!”**

-

It’s nighttime.

They’re spending the night on their ship, but it’s docked against the Baratie like many other cruise ships, simply because it’s too dark to sail tonight.

Usopp clicks once. Taps his stick twice on the wooden walkway. Take one step forward, click twice. Taps once. Taps once more.

Slowly, step by step, bit by bit, he makes his way to the restaurant.

It scares him, the idea of walking on this narrow woodway with the sea around him and nothing but darkness. Colour can’t calm him, can’t assure him. 

But he braves it. He braves it, holding his breath at intervals and taking all the time he needs-- because he’s scared he won’t be enough for Luffy when he comes. 

He can’t take this slow and steady. He needs to do scary things if he wants to be good enough when Luffy gets here.

He finally makes it to the steps. He climbs up, and leans against the railing, breathing out a sigh of relief.

“You sure do some dangerous things, little beansprout.”

Usopp squeaks, jumping slightly and-- _shit shit shit where’s his walking stick??_

“I’ve got it, I’ve got it,” and oh. That’s Zeff, standing too close to him now, a hand at the boy’s shoulder and the other pressing the walking stick back to his chest.

Usopp had been so focused on walking, trying to sense the soulless surroundings, that he forgot to sense for humans in the area.

Man, he needs to work on that. 

“So beansprout, what are you doing out of your ship at this hour? It’s…” Zeff pauses slightly, “four in the morning. Have your parents not told you it’s dangerous to walk around like this, at this hour?”

Usopp hums, nodding. “I just… wanted to practice.” Because Zeff won’t accept ‘I wanted to go to the toilet’ or equal bullshit as an excuse. “Walking, I mean.”

He can hear Zeff’s longsuffering noise.

Zeff mutters something about _starved eggplants trying to cook all over again_ , and ruffles Usopp’s hair. “Be less suicidal about it, could you? I don’t wanna wake up to floating kid bodies around my restaurant.”

Usopp nods obediently. He wisely doesn’t say more.

He calms down a little, letting his Observation spread out comfortably again-- and he’s surprised to find an extra voice near him.

He turns slightly toward the side, and it’s enough to make Zeff wary.

“What is it?”

Usopp doesn’t know how to deny sensing something, so he says, “oh uh, I thought I heard something. Might be the wind.”

He can feel Zeff’s skeptical gaze on him. Or maybe that’s just Usopp’s anxiety peaking.

Zeff steps away for a bit-- Usopp notices how Zeff’s footsteps are uneven, one making a sharper sound than the other, and he remembers the peg leg he sports. Usopp completely forgot that little detail about the old chef.

“This.”

Zeff brings the second voice nearer to Usopp.

Usopp reckons it’s not human or animal, it’s not strong enough for that and it isn’t making any noise.

Zeff answers for him.

“Is my logbook.”

Usopp swears internally.

Inanimate objects aren’t supposed to have voices, but Usopp’s Observation Haki is a special sort of sensitive. In the same way Katakuri could see into the future and Coby could hear hearts in his heart, Usopp can occasionally feel the spirits of beloved relics.

And ohhh no, no. 

Accidentally letting Zeff know he’s got Haki is one thing. Making him realize Usopp had _special_ Haki is a totally Mihawk-level _oh shit_ situation.

“Beansprout,” Zeff says, and Usopp imagines a smirk on his face. “You’re special, I’ll tell you. Even in the Grand Line, people like you are rare as rocking horse crap.”

Usopp swears internally one more time.

“Tell me, little blind beansprout,” Zeff raises the logbook to his side, and Usopp makes the mistake of following the book upwards. Zeff makes a snort. “Honestly. Can you hear this book’s voice?”

Usopp’s totally screwed, isn’t he?

-

* * *

-

Being stuck on a marine ship with a metal arm, in hindsight, is hell Nami did not expect to sign up for. 

This would be the first time she’s out on sea for so long with this arm (and not in the future), so the disuse and the sea breeze was just so much harder to deal with.

Shame, because if there’s anything Nami loves, it’s her namesake, the waves.

Coupled with the binder (she secures one on one of the islands after getting her pay and allowance) and the bandages at her arm covering her Arlong mark (maybe she could find a shoulder brace to hide it, she’ll need one to lessen the strain from her opposing arm anyways), her life is a mix of suffocating to stifling to trying her best with a little too many secrets.

Maybe she should have picked one identity and stuck with it, because now she’s like an awfully planned character with too many subplots that aren’t going to be addressed.

She’s not sure how long she can keep this up, so yeah, she’s gonna have to jump ship soon.

One problem.

“Hey, Namizo-kun! Wanna go train with me?”

Tashigi, right now, is barely a Petty Officer. She already has her long sword, though it’s too long to strap to her side, so she usually hugs it or has it strapped to her back.

And, like a magic power, she instantly knew Nami(zo) was female.

Apparently, most people thought Tashigi was Takashi without the Officer actually trying to do so. She had short hair, had a deeper voice than normal girls, and well, as children, no one can quite tell with just actions. 

And Tashigi doesn’t even _notice_ it herself, so she never corrects them. She just thinks they’re clumsy with her name.

Nami(zo) is honestly filled with admiration and seething jealousy.

“Sorry, Tashigi-chan,” she says in her practiced male voice, “I’m done with my chores today, so I need to do some maintenance in the mechanic’s wing.”

Tashigi blinks. “On your arm?”

Nami(zo) nods. “On my arm. The sea breeze isn’t good for it, y’know?”

-

Wearing just the binder, Nami slowly screws off each outer cover of her arm, setting them aside on the dry towel.

Tashigi is sitting precisely five feet away, staring.

“It must be hard, needing to do that every day,” Tashigi says.

Nami shrugs, “you get used to it.”

Tashigi is silent for a moment. Then, “hey, Namizo-kun. Should I… crossdress too?”

Nami’s grip on the screw slips, and the screwdriver falls. She picks it back up, scowling at the other girl. “You’re still on about what Gorilla said? I told you to ignore him, didn’t I?”

“Uh,” Tashigi sputters, “Namizo-kun, he’s a Captain. You can’t call him Gorilla like that…”

“He’s a gorilla if he thinks your goddamn gender has anything to do with being a swordsman,” Nami says, sharp and firm. “You’re a girl, right? And you want to be a girl? You know you’re a girl? Then you’re a girl and screw whoever the fuck says otherwise.”

Where did Nami get all this swearing from? Probably Sanji.

Tashigi goes silent.

Nami pats down the metal parts on the towel, and sets to put them back together.

“Namizo-kun,” Tashigi says, and Nami lifts her head. “Do you really think a girl can become the greatest swordman in the world?”

Nami looks at her.

“I’ve seen you do it once, I’m sure you can do it again.”

She doesn’t answer any more of Tashigi’s questions after that.

-

**Zoro died before Tashigi got her final rematch in.**

**But it didn't change the fact that for those years following the death of Legendary Swordsman Roronoa Zoro’s death-- the strongest swordsman in the world was Marine Vice Admiral, Tashigi of the Autumn Rain.**

**She always hated that this was how she got the title.**

**So she never used it. Never called herself the Greatest Swordsman in the world even though she had yearned for it. People still sent her name high and soaring across the seas, and she hated every moment of it.**

**Ironic, isn’t it?**

-

Paradise is as rigorous as Nami remembers.

He takes voluntary shifts on the communications room, but a small-time ship like this doesn’t have the most vital information available.

The Marines always keep track of the Emperors’ movements. Surely they’ve got a blackden on their comms… 

Nami works chores on the Marine Base they land on, and almost too casually, she slips into the primary communications office. Everyone in there is so busy, they don’t notice her coming in, assuming she’s here to collect documents or receive reports for whatsoever reason.

_“...New bounty for...”_

_“Promotion... transfer to G-7…”_

_“...Mock Town, just… taken care of…”_

_“SOS! Transfer this call to…”_

_“...Whiskey Peak, again? No…”_

Act casual. Look through the records, as if you’re sifting for a name. Take one down. Flip a few pages. Sigh. Flip front to back again. Look disappointed.

That’s it. Stay calm and casual, look troubled, but not troubled enough to be called on. Be quiet, but only as quiet as a nervous new recruit should be.

Koala and Robin drilled this into her plenty of times. She can almost hear them guide her through the process of acting subtle, and focusing all her energy into her ears.

_“Trouble in Arabasta… no, it’s…”_

_“...Finally nearing Sabaody, that rookie…”_

_“They say... take down Whitebeard, of all people.”_

Nami closes the shelf, and pauses.

_“Bound to be trouble in the future. The starting bounty is…”_

Nami walks back toward the door, but not before she looks back to see the bounty poster the two marines are talking about.

_“...the Mera-mera no Mi, so he’s ‘Fire Fist’ Ace.”_

Bingo.


	6. the assassin (the envoy)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> double sized chapter to wrap up the precanon story! Everything that's been skimmed over might come back as interludes or extras if y'all wanna see it and if I have time in the future to write em. 
> 
> as usual, i love all of you guys with all my might. enjoy the chapter!

Usopp spends his weekends at the Baratie from then on. 

They always need an extra waiter, and one of the fishermen in the village has a monopoly on Zeff’s fresh fish stock, so Usopp always tags along with their weekly deliveries.

People often give the blind waiter a suspicious look, but there’s a special little trail on the ground made of uneven, bumpy material (jokingly dubbed the Usopp Road by Sanji). 

It’s set in a specially arranged pathway that doesn’t intersect with any tables, so Usopp (walking bare feet) won’t need his walking stick and he can have both hands free to wait tables. He works much better than other waiters, not that other waiters ever stay long.

There are occasions where a new customer neglects to stay off the Usopp Road, but if it’s a human, Usopp can avoid it with Haki.

It’s good training for both his Haki and his maneuverability at the same time. Consulting Chef Zeff about this really was a good choice.

_(“You’re kidding me.”)_

_(“I mean… wait, Chef Zeff sir, how far into the Grand Line did you say you went again? That’ll probably give me a perspective on how much absurdity you can take.”)_

_(“Now don’t get cheeky with me, brat.”)_

It’s nice that, when someone yells at Usopp for messing up, Sanji is there, barking back for him. Don’t bully the blind friend that’s trying his best okay and that was _your_ elbow that jutted out anyways!

(It’s nice, and it kind of hurts because this is Sanji but it’s not _his_ Sanji, not that he ever had any claim to Sanji or anything but _this_ Sanji, he’s not… it just isn’t the same.)

“Oomph! Hey, watch where you’re going--”

“...I can’t.”

“...Right. Sorry.”

He makes a lot of weird customer friends, though he wants to scream at some of them.

It’s useful that they just think he’s very nervous, because even Usopp can’t hold back a terrified shriek at the sight of CP9 agent Jabra at a table in the corner. 

There was a time someone _else_ came by, but Usopp forgot his name… he had a really pretty girlfriend (at least Sanji said she was pretty and she does sound very sweet) called Lucian or something… Or was it Lushan? Rushan? It’s hard to tell with just the pronunciation. 

Usopp feels like he knows the boyfriend guy in the future, but he just couldn’t place it. Oh well. Probably not an enemy? Or maybe just not an enemy he fought directly...

There were a few old faces (voices) slightly different that he recognized and got to know, but he magnificently hid it with all the life-sustaining chat skills™ from his Revolutionary days.

It’s good practice. Maybe this time Usopp can double up as a scout along with his sharpshooting and mechanic duties.

Ah wait, they’re called assassins, actually.

Nevermind, then. Usopp’s not gonna be an assassin, name or not. It sounds too edgy.

-

“Captain! It’s an emergency!”

Piiman comes running with all the desperation of someone running from pirates. Usopp hums, still trying to fix one stubborn hole on his house wall.

“Captain, have you seen--”

“I don’t know Piiman, _can_ I see?”

“...I officially hate talking to you.”

Usopp can’t sense any trouble, so his actions do not reflect the panic the kids are probably feeling. He lifts another plank over his head and starts nailing after carefully ascertaining the position.

“Captain!” and there comes Tamanegi and Piiman, “trouble!”

“Usopp-san!” oh, Kaya’s here too, “I can’t find Kinoko anywhere!”

On cue, Usopp turns around, and the little gray ball of fluff peeks out of his hair. The vegetable trio and Kaya let out synchronously surprised shrieks.

“He’s been with me all morning,” Usopp tells them, like that's supposed to be obvious.

Kaya snaps, all teeth and bite, “then tell us! I almost had a heart attack!”

-

Kinoko the bird lives primarily in Usopp’s house, but while it was just a hairless little gremlin, it lived in Kaya’s. Her parents may not be the most knowledgeable in veterinary, but they had the basics and it was better than nothing. 

Once the bird had enough feathers to be considered and recognized as a fluffbird chick, the two taught it how to fly, and that drew in the attention of the three stooges. 

It has a birdhouse in the tree beside Kaya’s window, and as it is honestly more comfortable than the little cushion in Usopp’s house, the bird has the habit of sleeping there and then intruding on Usopp’s morning.

Usopp’s mornings now include a mass of feathers flying straight into his face as a greeting. Apparently this bird is as blind as Usopp is, because it doesn’t know another way to greet people. It’s so fucking stupid. Usopp wants about thirty of them.

“By the way Captain, why did you decide to name him Kinoko?” Piiman asks, the bird squeaking innocently in both his hands as they walked toward the store.

Usopp’s walking stick taps against the ground as he leads the group toward the restaurant. He leads, because they need to walk slower for him anyways and it was just, by unspoken consensus, easier with him in the front.

“I didn’t,” Usopp says, ”Kaya just thought it was funny.”

Tamanegi chuckles, “because you hate mushrooms?”

Kinoko makes a sad bird noise. 

The three kids converge on it, apologizing profusely to the bird and desperately trying to assure it that Captain does not, in fact, hate Kinoko, but he hates mushrooms, which is _kinoko_ but not _Kinoko_ , and now they’re all confused.

Usopp honestly thinks they’re cute.

“We have a Vegetable Trio, might as well make it a Quartet,” Kaya says cheerfully. “That’s right! I asked Khlahadore, and he said that Kinoko is a jaeger.”

Usopp frowns at the name, but lifts again at the end. “A jaeger… in a spring island?”

-

Khlahadore makes a show of frowning in disapproval whenever Kaya cheerfully leaves to visit Usopp, a basket of sandwiches in her hands. It's night time now and he's talking to Merry about it, trying to figure out if that boy is honorary successor of this house or something. 

“She’ll be fine,” Merry assures him, “Usopp may look like a punk with his figure, but I assure you, he’s no vile thing.”

Khlahadore sighs. “Perhaps you would know him better than I do, but that is exactly why it seems suspicious to a newcomer like me.”

Merry chuckles, “it’s a strange combination, isn’t it?”

Khlahadore fixes his glasses. “I’ve only heard unsavory rumours about him in town, after all. It can’t be helped that my impression of him is a little skewed, perhaps.”

Merry stills ever so slightly at the tea mug, but he resumes, expertly trying to pretend he didn't hesitate. Khlahadore misreads it as skepticism, so he continues.

“I’ve heard that the boy’s the son of a rather infamous pirate,” he grimaces, “I can’t help but feel that he may have a little of that in his blood as well.”

To Khlahadore’s surprise, a steaming tea cup is shoved hastily into his hands, and Merry stares him down fiercely. Fiercer than that sheep butler has any right to, at least-- Khlahadore almost fought back on instinct, only to remind himself that it’s much, much too early to drop the humble butler image yet.

“Your tea, Khlahadore-san,” Merry says, stately. “I’ll excuse myself for tonight. Please do get as much rest as you can. Your more severe injuries are not completely healed just yet, and the Master of the house won’t be happy if it worsens.”

And then he leaves.

Khlahadore sips his tea.

“That Usopp will definitely come in the way in the future,” he determines, mirthfully. That did not go over well just now-- he may have shaken the trust between them a little too hard. He needs to be careful. “I should watch myself a little more.”

He needs to gain their trust. That’s more important now.

“Yeah, you should.”

Khlahadore drops his tea in surprise, but a hand catches it before it crashes to the floor. The lights in his room flicker off, the window is still open, and a too-strong night wind comes in from the sea.

“Shh, you wouldn’t want to wake Kaya up, do you?”

Khlaha-- no, _Kuro_ finds himself staring straight at Usopp, who had, at some point without even his notice, made his way into the room and right into his bedside.

He tenses and shoots back. He reaches for his blades first-- a defensive dager, because his claws are hidden elsewhere.

Usopp steps right out of the way of the knife, swerves once more to the side when Kuro gets out of the bed. Kuro lunges, Usopp vanishes.

He hears Usopp place the teacup on the nightstand behind him, and he swings the blade wide.

Usopp twists the knife right out of Kuro’s hand, and points it right below Kuro’s chin.

Fuck, is this kid seriously _blind_ or was that just someone messing with him? This is ridiculous, even if Kuro isn’t in top form yet. There is _no_ way a blind kid is doing this much. It’s not possible.

Kuro’s next tactic is to scream, but Usopp predicts it, shifting the knife to place right at his throat, so he wouldn’t dare.

“If you value your life, Kuro of the Black Cat Pirates,” Usopp begins, and Khlahadore tenses. 

How did he know? There is no, _no_ possible way, logical or not, that this _blind_ kid could recognize him. Unless someone _else_ has recognized him as well but _no_ , his cover is perfect. It can’t be.

“Leave once your injuries are healed,” Usopp says, and it’s a warning, a threat, and an order all at once. Kuro almost felt shivers down his spine, but no. He won’t.

Is it the knife? Is the knife making this kid think he can make demands of Black Cat Captain Kuro?

Usopp loosens his hold on the knife.

Somehow, Kuro thinks he shouldn’t yell out now. Even though yelling would guarantee a win on his hands-- Usopp’s glare makes him stop. Makes him… concede. Begrudgingly.

 _Just for now_ , he tries to tell himself. The Black Cat Kuro does not falter in front of a kid.

“If you know who I am, why do you not hand me in?” he asks instead. “Isn’t it because you’re just throwing empty threats? Like the serial liar you are?”

Usopp doesn’t take the bait.

“You’re right,” he says, a short laugh. “You’re not the kind of person that has honour. I shouldn’t trust you, I’m just wasting my time.”

Kuro blinks confusedly as Usopp turns and leaves, the knife back in Kuro’s hands and the long-nosed sniper jumping onto a tree to clamber back down. 

Kuro watches Usopp walk casually out of the fence and into the road and back into the village, as if he hadn’t tried to threaten a pirate captain just moments ago. Kuro watches until Usopp makes his way down the road toward his house.

Kuro sighs. 

He could yell for Merry now, but if he can’t justify how Usopp could make it up here when he’s blind, no one would believe him. It’ll just make them distrust him more.

He turns around.

Then, a sharp pain at the back of his neck.

Then, nothing.

-

Usopp sighs, putting down his slingshot. 

Small button as a projectile, coated in Haki. Shot at a velocity too fast to not be dire. Hit directly at a pressure point at the nape. At best, concussion. At worst, an interruption in the synapse. 

Requires immediate medical attention, but Khlahadore has only fallen awkwardly into bed and no one will find him strange until the servant arrives for routine check up, three hours later and three hours too late. 

The button is a part of Khlahadore’s clothes. It'll fall not too far from his body, and won’t at all look unnatural when someone finds it in the morning. Of course, no one will suspect it to be the cause.

Perfectly executed, impossible to trace back. This is East Blue, where the impossible doesn’t happen, after all. 

Satisfied and admiring the slowly fading voice in the distance, Usopp closes the window.

(Oh hey, the Assassin job might suit him, after all.)

-

He keeps boxes and boxes of his pellets, makes a slingshot similar in sharpness and power to his Kabuto, but without the dials, he can’t live up to them yet.

But it’s enough, for now. 

His hands are scabbed and full of callouses. Kinoko is growing each day, and he knows that if he walks away, Kinoko will follow him anywhere.

“I’m ready, Luffy,” he says to himself.

_I’m just waiting for you to come._

-

* * *

-

It takes Nami six months on the straightest ships to find Fire Fist Ace. 

She sneaks a tracker Den Den on them, and watches their movements closely for another three months. She returns to Cocoyashi twice in between, then sets off for the New World at the same time the Spades Pirates do. 

A long thirteen months after the beginning of this operation, Ace finally meets Knight of the Sea Jinbei.

She watches them, carefully. She watches their long battle and watches as Whitebeard comes in, watches as Ace loses, and watches as they leave the island after aiding in the damages.

Then she follows them out to sea on a ship.

_“One small vessel approaching, Oyaji!”_

_“A small vessel? In the New World?”_

There’s already activity there.

_“Enemies?”_

_“Not sure. Just one, and it’s young.”_

_“Suicidal punk number two?”_

_“Suicidal punk number two.”_

Nami swallows thickly. This would be the first, honest first time that she’ll meet them-- and she’s younger than even Ace right now. She’s barely a brat.

But it’s fine. 

Jinbei’s on that ship right now, recuperating, and she just needs to talk to him. She just needs to remember her manners, calm down, and calm down, and calm down. _Calm down Nami you can do this you’ve done this before._

Marco the Phoenix leans over the deck to look at her when she comes close enough. 

Nami knocks her knuckles against the hull twice. “First Mate of the Whitebeard pirates, Marco the Phoenix. Permission to come aboard?”

Marco hums. “Yeah, sure.”

Nami hops up to the deck, and immediately bows respectfully to Marco. Then she turns to Whitebeard, and says once again, “Permission to come aboard, Captain Whitebeard?”

Whitebeard laughs. “Just state your business, young one.”

Nami lets out a sigh of relief. Everyone’s still tense. Weapons aren’t hidden. A quick sift around-- at least half of the Commanders are present on board.

She doesn’t have much time to think.

“My business is with the Knight of the Sea, _Boss_ Jinbei,” she says, “I came to ask a favour of him.”

Her grip on her bag tightens when Whitebeard’s eyes narrow. She evens her breathing, placing her bag down by her feet to show she was not immediately prepared to leave when things turned for the south.

“He’s still recovering,” Marco says, “you’ll have to come back later.”

_Later?_

“It’s urgent,” Nami says, a bite of her fervor from her Burglar Cat days seeping from her tongue as she sent a sharp glance toward him. If this was back then, even Marco would know better than to divert her needs. “He’s conscious, isn’t he? Then he can listen.”

“Oh,” Whitebeard speaks up and it’s a deep intonation that marks anything but patience, “you think you’re in a position to make demands on this ship?”

Crap. Nami messed up her manners.

“You’re just another small-time brat that thinks they’ve hit it big once they got out of Paradise,” Whitebeard says, anything but amused. “Leave this ship.”

No. No, no, no. It took her a whole year to get this far, she can’t leave now! 

(God, why are her eyes burning? Is she seriously going to cry from frustration?)

Nami bites her lip, and reaches up to her left shoulder. With one hard tug, she tears the bandages around it, revealing the bright cobalt Arlong Mark on her shoulder.

Someone sees it immediately. “Wait!” 

Eyes turn to the only Fishman on the crew, Namur. His eyes are wide, and Nami meets his gaze with a pained look. 

Marco turns to him. “What’s wrong?”

Namur stares at Nami for a long moment. Then, “call Jinbei,” he says, to the shocked deterrence of everyone else. Namur quickly turns to Whitebeard. “Oyaji, this is… serious. Very, for Jinbei. I’m sorry, but-- please.”

“I’m already here.”

Nami swirls toward the voice-- and Jinbei’s eyes are wide and horrified.

“Wait, Jinbei!” Whitey Bay calls from behind him, “I said bedrest! _Bed_ rest includes the bed!”

“You,” Jinbei speaks to Nami, “you’re a human. Why do you have that mark?”

Nami cries, completely in relief, “I need your help to stop Arlong.”

-

“So… Jinbei went ahead on his whale-sharks, are you sure you’re fine not following him?”

Nami turns to Marco. 

“I’ll just slow him down,” Nami says, sliding her shoulder guard on over her tattoo and getting ready to set sail again. “If Arlong finds out I’m the one that brought Jinbei there, I can’t tell what Arlong would do.”

Most of the Commanders were present to hear her story. From Arlong’s arrival, to the taking over, to the deaths. 

When asked about the arm, Nami denied Arlong’s involvement in it-- but they probably still assume she got it from her too-young thievery endeavours, and Nami can’t find a way to deny the claim. 

It’s kept brief and quick, but Jinbei doesn’t need the details to gather the rest.

There are only two very similar reasons a human would be on a Fishman crew-- Koala’s situation, and the opposite. And this was obviously not like Koala’s situation.

Jinbei’s face darkened considerably.

Up until the very end, he was apologizing profusely, repeatedly, head to the ground. Nami’s forgiven him already, a lifetime ago, and she makes sure he knows that.

“You’ve got guts, girl,” Izou says.

Marco stiffens. “Girl?”

Izou stares at Marco like he’s just said something stupid. Then Izou looks around at synchronously shocked faces around, and he facepalms.

“I can’t believe you guys.”

Nami laughs, “you can’t do that, Izou-san. Look at their faces!”

“Oh but Nami-chan, Jozu noticed an hour ago while he was ogling your arm. You totally have to let him tinker with that later,” Izou says.

Nami blinks, “right, I completely forgot since I’m so used to this arm now-- I’m in the New World, so I should get a new one.”

“Consider it done,” Jozu hollers in the distance.

Izou smiles. “You know, I’m sure after your story, if you ask, Oyaji would be glad to have you on board.”

And Nami stops.

Looking around, everyone’s got similarly approving smiles on their faces. Whitebeard huffs, but doesn’t deny it.

Seriously?

“Can’t.” Nami tells them, and one of them deflates. 

She shrugs her jacket back on, and sits on the bows of the ship, ready to drop back into her rowboat. She turns to Whitebeard with a grin.

“I’m already taken, you see,” she says, setting a hand at her chest. 

Whitebeard hums, “by who? This Arlong fellow? You know you aren’t.”

“No, not Arlong.” Nami says, firmly. She grins up at him, “I’ve got a seat saved for me beside the future King of the Pirates.”

Shocked gasps and panicked reactions spread across the deck.

She did _not_ just insinuate that Whitebeard won’t be Pirate King. She did _not_ just do that right in front of the man himself--

“Gurararara!!” Whitebeard _laughs_ , louder than before. “That’s perfect, my girl. You don’t need to join the crew-- won’t you become my daughter anyways? We’ll give you a ride back to Paradise.”

Nami fixes her eyes on the rowboat, then turns back around, baffled. She never thought she’d ever hear those words again.

( _You’re my daughter, Nami._ )

It’s so strange. Last time around, Whitebeard had barely even heard of Nami’s entire existence. She wouldn’t be surprised if he never even knew her.

But now…

She stops herself from the immediate refusal, thinking to herself. Thinking of those days on that island, where she would chat with Izou about Ace’s beginning days. She finds herself bursting out into giggles. “If I say no, would you let me go?”

"Sure, if that's what you want."

"Then, I respectfully refuse. May I leave now?"

And Whitebeard smirks. “Nope!”

Figures.

-

Nami watches in muted awe as Ace goes flying across the deck again.

Her arm is in pieces beside them, and a few other in the mechanic divisions are trying to inspect it.

“It’s an old East Blue model, the core,” someone says, “the plates are Grand Line quality. Wires… a fair amount of this is pretty good.”

“Can we replace the core? It’s not quite your size anymore, is it?” another says.

“Look at the design of this arm! This is definitely the work of the Jan-Jan island in Grand Line!” someone says, sparkling.

“Where the heck is that?”

“It’s _the_ Jan-Jan Island, doofus!”

“That explains absolutely nothing. Thanks.”

Nami turns to Jozu, “I got this when I was eleven, and it’s changed about three times since. They told me to change it again when I turned seventeen, so it’s still a few months out.”

Jozu blinks, “perfect timing. We’ll get right into it then.”

Beside her, Haruta crouches down and declares, “we’re going to give you the coolest arm _ever_.” with bright and expectant eyes. And Nami knows those eyes. It’s the same eyes Luffy gives Franky when they see a new fancy robot thing.

Nami pauses, “wait, I like normal. Please be normal. I would like the normal option, please. With all due respect, I implore you, please give me the normal--”

They’re already sparkling so much, it’s entirely pointless to try.

She deflates. “I want to go home.”

Marco’s response is immediate. “Not until Jinbei deals with Arlong you aren’t.”

-

It’s a long story in between, but that’s a story for another time.

Nami can’t help but feel comfortable in the midst of the Whitebeard Pirates. She gets to know all the faces she only heard of last time, including Ace. She avoids the topic of his little brother because it never comes up.

Nami is greeted by the apology brigade when she steps into Fishman island.

Jinbei has a foot on Arlong’s head, and the rest of them give the most begrudging yet sincere apology Nami has ever seen from a Fishman in this life.

They do it before the masses, and Nami isn’t the only one that cries that day.

Arlong is dragged back to Fishman District by the ear, given a big angry talking-to by Jinbei and Aladine, and apparently, tears and manly hugs were shared that day.

Nami keeps the Arlong mark on her shoulder and with everyone’s approval, she has it removed at a tattoo parlor on Sabaody Archipelago. 

She doesn’t replace it just yet, leaving the scars bare. Instead, she gets Whitebeard's mark on her lower back, the cross and the crescent emblazoning her hip, trailing part of the spine in dark blue.

She’s Whitebeard’s child this time, and she’ll be proud of it.

-

“It’s so light!” Nami gapes at her new silver arm, tinted with orange accents. 

The fingers are thin, more similar to her actual flesh fingers now. The arm itself is also much thinner and less bulky to match her other arm, but the quality of the steel makes it twice as solid. She curls her fingers, twists her wrist, and throws an experimental punch. 

“I’m glad you like it,” the mechanic team grins. 

“Just a normal arm?” Nami asks.

“Just a normal arm,” Marco promises, “I took out the laser beams and tossed them into the sea before they could try and implement it anywhere.” 

(In the distance, Haruta is sobbing into Thatch’s shoulder about stingy phoenixes.)

“Thank you,” Nami says, wholeheartedly grateful.

“Y’know,” Marco says, ”you could’ve at least accepted a few dials. They’re from Sky Island and they’re pretty useful.”

“No,” Nami pouts, firm, “if I want anything from Sky Island, I’ll go there with my own crew and ask my crew’s mechanic to do it for me.”

“You’re a New World level pirate and you seek normality,” Marco states, baffled.

Nami shrugs. “There’s enough crazy in the crew. I don’t want to add to the madness.”

“Nami-chan, we're gonna do your foot next!”

“Coming!”

Soon, now. In just one more week, Nami will be dropped off at Loguetown, and she’ll officially leave the crew. Then she’ll head back to Cocoyashi, cry a few more tears, visit Bellemere’s grave, and then...

And then from there, she just needs to wait.


	7. leaving (I'll join your crew)

“You’re jumping ship?” Zeff asks. “You, our last and only waiter for the past four-ish years?”

Usopp smiles, “yeah! Thanks for the hospitality, Chef Zeff sir!” he bows, like a little shit. “Next time you see me, I’ll be a pirate!”

Zeff huffs, “oh do whatever you want then.”

Sanji slams the door open, “what?! What did you just say, you shitty waiter? You’re leaving?!”

“Yeah!” Usopp raises his hand, “thanks for the love and care, everyone! Anyways I have a feeling Chef Zeff sir is gonna kick me out in--” he ducks quickly to avoid a kick, then stands back up. “--yeah. So I’m gonna run now. Bye!”

He kicks off the entrance, and makes a big leap right onto the leaving fisherman’s boat.

“Dammit! Get back here, you shit-waiter!” 

“Bye Sanji! Love you too!”

“I don’t swing that way! HEY!”

Usopp waves widely at the Baratie as the voice drifts further away. Kinoko, now the size of an apple, lands gently on his head. Snuggling in like it was a nest, it fell asleep.

The fisherman laughs. Kaya peeks out of the cabin.

“Are you sure about quitting, Usopp-san?” Kaya says, “Mister Zeff has always been pretty mean, but you’ve never complained before.”

“No, no, it’s not about that,” Usopp says. He sits down by the bow, taking a moment. “Have I ever told you about the time I protected this town from pirates, with everyone none the wiser?”

“Another one of your stories?” the fisherman asks.

“You haven’t!” Kaya settles down beside him with a smile. “Tell me!”

“In a few weeks, or days, or months-- I’m not sure. But soon, a pirate wearing a straw hat is going to show up. I don’t wanna miss him,” Usopp tells her, “and this man? He’s the future king of the pirates. And I’m going to get on their ship, and be their sharpshooter!”

-

Buggy spits out his drink.

“YOU! What are you doing in my vault?!”

Nami pouts, “I just want your map of the Grand Line. Can I have it, please?”

Buggy sighs, “oh, is that it? Okay then since you asked politely-- NO, OBVIOUSLY NOT! Do you take me for an idiot? Get out!”

Nami giggles.

Buggy _fumes_. “Look, we’re only tolerating your existence because I don’t wanna make Whitebeard mad! You said you were waiting for someone, right? Your Captain or whatever, but not Whitebeard, or whatever. You don’t need us here!”

“But I _do_ ,” Nami puffs up her cheeks, “who _else’s_ treasure am I gonna steal when I leave?”

“Ah, you have a point… WAIT, YOU’RE PLANNING ON TAKING MY TREASURE WHEN YOU LEAVE?!” Buggy yelps, “I said no! It’s my treasure, steal your own!”

Nami gasps, wiping away fake tears, “you want _me_ , a weak and young little girl, to go out, _alone_ , in the wild, and _steal_? How cruel of you, Buggy-sama!”

Buggy yells, “weak?! You wiped the floor with all of us last week!” Mohji and Richie stare at their captain with severe judgement and disapproval in their eyes. Buggy balks, “she’s obviously faking it! Guys? Guys?? Stop staring at me like that!”

“Oh c’mon, you don’t need the map,” Nami whines, looking away.

“Yes I do! I’m try’na get to the Grand Line!” Buggy snaps, patience waning.

“If you _really_ were trying to get there, you would’ve gone there like ten years ago,” Nami argues, “look at you. You’re a New World level pirate that’s been hiding here for twenty years, Mister. Sure you could get there easily if you try.”

There’s a moment of silence.

Then Buggy’s entire crew converges on him, “you’re a WHAT?!”

Buggy explodes back on Nami, “you’re one too! You have Whitebeard’s mark on your back and you’re a great navigator! You don’t need my help!”

Nami says, “exactly!”

“Then get out!”

“No!”

Buggy goes into the corner and sobs. “How selfish can you be?!”

“Wait Captain Buggy, you’re a _what_?! You’ve been to the Grand Line before?? Why didn’t you tell us???”

-

Buggy finally loses it, and now everyone’s chasing Nami the map-stealer across the empty streets of Orange Town.

(After being liberated by Nami a few weeks back, they all decided to gather on the other side of town for a party. No civilians were harmed and no treasure was stolen in the making of this ploy. None at all. _At all_ , Nami swears.)

Nami laughs. 

Her metal arm exposed on one side and a shoulder guard covering the scar on the other, she jumps around the city in a tank top and short shorts, flipping over roofs and dancing across light poles. 

While her old short hair was just a little under her ears, this time she let her hair drape over her shoulders, resting comfortably around her shoulders. 

She loves being a thief.

Assembling her collapsible bo staff, she lands on the ground and turns around. Maybe she’ll knock them all over first…

“AHHHHH!!!”

And a figure crash lands right into the array of boxes beside them, shattering the crates on impact with an undignified squawk.

Everyone, Nami included, just stares entirely exasperated. She’s long forgotten the original spot he’d landed, so her plan was to meet him _after_ he lands and meets up with Zoro. And yet, Luffy falls out of the sky like perfect plot convenience. Cool.

“Stupid bird! Don’t just drop me!”

Nami’s breath gets stuck in her throat. 

(It’s him. It’s him-- younger, thinner, but it’s him. The scar under his eye is just the same, the hat on his head feels like it’s been gone for too long.) 

(Nami’s glad it’s back where it belongs.)

(But it hurts. It’s hot and boiling and _churning_ in her throat and it brims into her eyes and she blinks it away and. _And he’s still there_.)

(He’s there, finally, within her arm’s reach again, and this time, she wants to punch him on the head and tell him how much of an idiot he’s being because-- because.)

(But she can’t. Not yet, _not yet_ . She can’t hug him now and beg for him to never leave again. _She can’t._ )

Twisting her features into a smile, she jumps on the chance.

“Oh, _Captain_ ! What perfect timing,” she grins, casually collapsing her staff again to tuck it in her belt. “These _terrible_ men were just chasing after me!”

Luffy stares at her, confused. “Huh? Captain?” His eyes drift, and immediately bursts into excited sparkles of boyhood romance. “Woah! You have a robot arm! That’s SO cool! Can it shoot lasers? Hey, miss lady, you have a _robot arm_!”

Nami’s face falls for one fraction of a section, and she brims back into a smile. “Anyways, I’ll leave these guys--” she jabs a thumb at the crooks, “--to you. Thanks, boss!”

Then she ducks into the alley, and watches Buggy’s men get punched to oblivion.

Luffy huffs and walks away angrily, because they dared touch his treasured hat. He mumbles something about looking for Zoro, and wondering where _the cool lady with the robot arm_ went. Nami only stares, slightly forlorn.

Putting a hand at her chest, she sighs. “...of course he’s not here,” she tells herself, “what was I hoping for?”

-

Nami sits at the balcony of a house, smiling down at Luffy while she swings her booted feet casually in the air. “Thanks for taking care of those guys for me! How do you want me to repay you?”

Luffy takes one curious look at her, and then he looks away. “Don’t need anything. Who’re you? And can you shoot laser beams?”

Of course, Luffy knows better than to accept charity after being _used_.

“I’m Nami, and I’m a thief,” Nami says. “I can’t shoot laser beams, sorry.”

“You can’t?” Luffy looks so disappointed, Nami can’t help but giggle.

“Those guys are from the Buggy Pirate Fleet, and they were after me because I stole their map. It’s a chart to the Grand Line,” Nami holds up the map in her hands, “you know where the Grand Line is?”

“Of course I do!” Luffy yelps, slightly offended, “wait. A map? You can navigate?”

Nami grins. “Of course. I’m the best navigator you can find around here.”

“Really?” Luffy says, “then, join my crew!”

Joining this time is a little easier than last time. Nami has nothing holding her back, Luffy needs a navigator, and of course, the metal arm.

“Sounds great,” Nami grins, “but if you want me to join your crew, I’ll need to ask you another favour… that Buggy guy? Can you beat him up for me?” 

Luffy pouts. “First you say you wanna repay me, now you say I needa do you a favour?”

“But if they’re still chasing me, I can’t leave.”

“Oh. You’re right. Okay then.”

Luffy’s still so adorably easy to manipulate. Nami finds it so, so endearing.

(And just a little, she’s sad.)

-

Luffy jumps at Buggy with a declaration of war. Then instantly, he gets blown away by a Buggy Ball, and is sent flying all the way to port.

Nami is honestly impressed by how far he can fly. Is rubber supposed to fly that far so easy? Buggy’s cannons are strange, too. Luffy deflected it, but he also went flying backwards. 

Buggy’s lair is pretty blown up. 

(Rest in literal pieces, Buggy, I’m sure your crew will help put you back together in a sec. Good luck. Ah, maybe Nami should leave a note.)

-

“Oh hey Zoro! What’re you doing here?”

“I was looking for YOU, you dumbass! Why the hell did you get caught by a _fucking_ bird!”

“Anyways, who’re those guys behind ya?”

The three men stare wide-eyed at the destruction at the top of the hill. “You bastard! What did you do to Captain Buggy?!”

“Huh?” Luffy asks, “you mean that red-nosed guy that got blown away?”

-

“Found you,” Nami says, setting down two bags of treasure at her feet. “Is that the rest of your crew?”

Zoro lifts his head, sheathing his sword as Luffy piles up the imbeciles to the side. “Who’s she?”

“Our navigator,” Luffy supplies.

(Zoro. Nami travelled a lot more than the other last time, and she made it a point to visit everyone around the world every few months. Every time Nami dropped by Wano, Zoro had a few more followers and a few less braincells.)

(She was there, in the crowd, when Zoro died and took down the world with him.)

(They met eyes once. Just once.)

(Nami would never forget how angry Zoro looked at her. Because she was there crying, sobbing, watching-- instead of running, escaping, and safe.)

(Zoro says it a lot, that he wished Nami was still a scaredy cat.)

“I’m Nami,” she says, “this _Captain_ of yours invited me in.”

Zoro smiles-- and oh, he smiles. It’s been a while since Nami’s seen him like that. He stopped acting as carefree after what happened with Mihawk at Baratie, after Arabasta came and went, Zoro was just moody all the time.

This is fresh and so weird.

“You’re the one that these guys were talking about?” he asks, “the one that tricked them and stole their boat?”

Nami leans back, placing her hands beside her to hide the disappointment flashing by. She’ll have to get used to this now. 

(It’s been a while, Wado Ichimonji. I wonder if you made your master proud back in Wano, serving under Hiyori’s hand.)

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“You can predict the weather or something?” Zoro asks, remembering something the grunts complained about before. 

“Wait, you can _what_?!” Luffy exclaims. “Magic robot powers??”

“Enough about the robot!” Nami whirls around and knocks him up the head. She pretends not to notice Zoro’s resigned look. She turns to him. “I’m a navigator, you’ll be glad to have me on board, Pirate Hunter.”

Zoro grins. “We’ll see.”

When they board the ship again, this time alongside another ship with Buggy’s sails on it. They set sail for Syrup, the closest island from here. 

Nami adjusts the sails a little, and sits by the bow with a sigh.

She should lower her expectations. The disappointment she feels each time she realizes that’s not hers, _hers_ , it just hurts. Just hurts so much and it’s lonely.

She puts a hand on her empty left shoulder with a sigh.


	8. it's you (it's me)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And, they meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I told you guys how much I love you guys yet? I'm honoured beyond belief that you guys like this T^T and we're finally here! Finally, the reunion of Nami and Usopp! There's going to be a second part of this reunion where they properly talk it out and cry and find out things, but the next chapter will be a Zoro POV because mosshead is very, very confused.

“You’re a Whitebeard pirate?!” 

Nami comes out of her cabin wearing a bikini top, and Zoro straight up balks. Her show of skin is the last thing on his mind, because the glaring blue mark on her lower back is exposed for the world. Luffy turns around, still eating an apple, and he hums.

“You live up to your name, Pirate Hunter Zoro,” she teases. “Don’t worry, I quit the Whitebeards a while back. I’m a free pirate now.”

“You _quit_?!” 

“Hey Nami, who’s white bread?” Luffy asks, looking at the cross and crescent on Nami’s back. Nami turns around so they can see it better. “Izit someone impor’ant?”

Zoro looks like he wants to throw Luffy overboard. “Whitebeard’s known as the strongest man in the world,” Zoro says, “you’re trying to be Pirate King and you don’t know the man who used to go toe-to-toe with Roger?”

“Strongest?” Luffy wonders. Then, “wait! He used to fight the Pirate King?!”

“Yes, that’s what I said,” Zoro sneers. He turns to Nami, “why’d you quit?”

Nami shrugs, “I didn’t join in the first place, I just got kidnapped,” Zoro grimaced in empathy, “then after a while they said I could go, so I went.” 

Zoro went _what,_

Nami giggles. “Oyaji isn’t aiming for One Piece, so he’s not going to travel the Grand Line thoroughly. I want to draw a map of the world, so I’m going to travel by myself, and draw the road I go on!”

Luffy grins in approval, and Zoro hums.

“That’s a nice dream!” Luffy says, “well, you quit, so I can have you, right? White Bread isn’t gonna be mad if you’re on my crew? Well, even if he does, I guess we’ll just have to fight him when the time comes.”

Zoro raises an eyebrow, “are you suicidal?”

“You can try!” Nami laughs. She dearly hopes he doesn’t, but she has a feeling that Luffy will try anyways.

Zoro groans, "oh. We _are_ suicidal. Okay."

“Anyways Nami, can you shoot lasers-- OW!”

Zoro stares at the dent in the wood, aghast with horror. 

Nami dusts her hands, “how many times are you gonna ask me that? The answer is no!”

-

* * *

-

Usopp lifts his arm-- and he waits. 

He closes his eyes and breathes, feeling the air around him-- he turns a little to the left, one step on the branch-- and just in time, Kinoko lands gently on his wrist.

“There you go, girl,” Usopp says, letting the bird hop over to his shoulder

“C- C- CAPTAIN!” Piiman yells.

Usopp loses his footing on the tree branch and just _drops_.

“AHH! CAPTAIN!” Piiman and Ninjin are yelling for a different reason now.

Usopp lies on the ground, dizzy and _ow_ , _did I hit my head?_ Where’s Kinoko? _Oh hey mushroom butt, get off my face please. Get off my face._ Don’t get comfortable.

“I'm fine…” he groans out, “what’s wrong?”

“Oh, right,” Piiman receives Kinoko in his hands when the bird hops up, “pirates! At the bay! It’s got Buggy the Clown’s flag on it!!”

Usopp jumps upright. 

-

Usopp sits by the bay, the Vegetable Trio behind him.

He watches the strange blue blob that’s the sea, watching the two sails come toward him. He can’t see anything except the strange contrast of the colours, the black sail definitely Buggy’s flag, just as he remembered.

He can see the little red of Luffy’s vest, the little green of Zoro’s figure, and the orange of Nami’s hair.

He almost feels like crying. He rubs his eyes, sniffling. It’s been so long-- so long, yet. Yet, he can’t see them. They’re just distinct blobs of colour he has to squint to make out, and he can’t. Can’t see them.

(He barely remembers Luffy’s last smile to them. When he hands them his hat, gives them all a kiss on the forehead, and marches off in chains toward Coby.)

(He barely remembers that last, meaningful glance Zoro gave him as a goodbye in Wano. The warmth of his sword’s bloodthirsty voices, the burn of his presence.)

(He barely even remembers the last time he met Nami. They meet too often, all their spots are marked off and watched. There was only a shadow of a rushed hug during Vivi’s execution, then Usopp never met her again.)

“Captain?” Tamanegi asks.

“You guys can run back to the village if you're scared.” Usopp tells him.

They salute and gladly escape.

He sits at the edge of the cliff, sitting in full view. They’ve probably noticed him already, and that’s fine.

Their presences in the distance calms him. Reckless little Luffy, Level-headed Zoro, Free-spirited Nami. Strange, unstable, just like the start of their journey.

He can’t help but smile.

“Huh? Who’re you?” Luffy asks.

Usopp tries really hard not to stiffen, but his grip tightens on the ground, his chest seizes-- and it takes two deep breaths for him to ease again.

He grins. 

“I'm the great _Captain_ Usopp, leader of the great Usopp Pirate Fleet, commander of eighty million men!” the words escape him in the form of a nostalgic joke, and he chuckles, “they call me, Usopp the _Terrible_!”

“No,” immediately, Nami speaks up, her tone jumping as she _dives_ to respond first, and Usopp’s eyes widen, “you were called the _Worst_.”

His smile falls straight down and he swirls on her, and though he can’t see it, he knows that Nami is staring right back, the same burn of tears in her eyes. 

He can hear the cries she’s holding back in her voice.

He looks closer.

There’s a bit too much silver on her body. An offsided right. 

His Observation senses her as incomplete, and the soul is just missing a few portions.

Usopp clicks his tongue once. 

The sound that comes back from her-- it’s not flesh, it’s _metal._

He immediately sees red, the magma rising from the pits of his stomach..

“ _Nami_ ,” he finally says, and it’s hoarse, it's deep, it’s painful. 

It’s filled with pure, seething rage that makes Lufy step back and Zoro draw his swords, but Usopp can’t be bothered to react to those right now. 

Because that’s Nami. That’s _his_ Nami. She knows the code, she responds correctly to the code, and she’s-- she’s acting _differently_. That means it’s his Nami, and she’s-- she’s here. With him. Finally. Finally. 

_Why?_

“Nami,” he repeats, but it’s not any calmer than before. “...who did that to your arm?”

Arlong. Maybe it's Arlong. Maybe Nami resisted this time and he snapped. That sounds possible-- Usopp got a few concussions from mistakes like that, after all. 

_No_ , on second thought, it probably isn't Arlong. Arlong valued Nami's writing arm more than they valued Nami in general. _It wasn't Arlong._

It's a transferred wound, just like Usopp's blindness. Someone in the _future_ took that arm from her, after they were separated.

Someone in the future took _Nami's dominant arm_ from her. (Her dominant hand it's her dominant hand it's the hand of the _best cartographer in the world_ and they--)

How _dare_ they. 

How dare--

"Usopp!" Nami tells, and Usopp stops short, dragged out of his furious internal rant. "It's just you and me."

And Usopp knows what that means. It means _later, we'll talk about this later_ . It's a promise to hug and cry and break, but not now, not here. Because no one else is here-- Luffy and Zoro-- they don’t know anything. They don’t know anything _yet_.

So Usopp swallows all the anger back down and faces the other two once again.

~~(Laterlaterlaterlaterlaterlater)~~

“You guys are Nami’s friends?” 

He turns to them, sounding much more friendly this time and he’s proud that he’s managed to train his actual lying skills over the years. He stands up.

“I guess that’s fine then. Come on into the village! I’ll treat you to a meal.”

-

Luffy bounces right up, and Zoro follows him. Usopp tries not to immediately run in and hug them, because the feeling of them so near to him so near finally-- it just leaves him breathless. 

Then he turns around, and Nami wraps him in one painful, painful, and so so tight hug.

He wants to protest-- the other two are staring at them like they’re a new item of interest-- but he doesn’t. He knows he needs this.

He hugs back, firm and strong and-- _oh hey, your metal arm. It’s metal, Nami. Why is it metal? How could I have let this become metal_ \-- and he doesn’t breathe for a long, long moment. 

He just grabs and _holds_ , feeling her face on his neck and feeling her fingers press bruises into his back. He cradles her head, and tries to get closer. Tries to feel her aura, and it’s stronger than he remembers, but it’s been too, _too_ long he doesn’t even remember how strong it was last time and--

“I’m,” he chokes out, tears in his voice, “so glad you’re alive, Nami.”

(He wants to see her face. He wants to see her face so badly. _Your hair's longer than it's supposed to be-- I'm sure it looks great on you. I want to see it. I want to see it_.)

( _But I can't_.)

Nami bubbles out in laughter, “of course I am, you idiot!” she says, but she doesn’t move away. “You owe me ten billion beris for making me worry, dammit!”

“Oh c’mon, Nami, even my old bounty wasn’t that high.”

Finally, they break up the hug, and Usopp can’t help but feel like he wants another minute or twenty or actually, can she stay like that forever? Please?

Nami pats him in the back. “Alright then! Reunions are over, let’s get food!”

No, Nami. Reunions are _not_ over. Usopp is so going to snatch her after this.

They turn to Luffy and Zoro, only to find Luffy screaming his head off. Apparently, a bird had charged belly-first right into Luffy’s face, and now they’re in a power-struggle tangle of wing and too-stretchy limbs.

The boy gives them an undignified squawk that sounds suspiciously like a slew of curses. Zoro just watches.

“STUPID BIRD!” he finally yells, managing to get it off his face, “god that surprised me.”

“Oh, a bird,” Zoro draws a sword, “looks edible.”

“Wait wait wait!” Usopp snaps at them, recognizing the little bird’s cry of greeting. He charges forward and snatches the bird out of Luffy’s hands, “this bird’s my friend! You can’t eat her!”

Luffy’s already drooling, “birds are yummy, though?”

At this point, Kinoko jumps in horror, hopping up and fluttering right away, crying tears of fear. Luffy stretches right over and grabs it by the belly, retrieving it right back.

“Bird!” he says happily, because he’s such an endearing idiot like that. “Let’s roast it.”

Usopp flips on his heel and lands one hell of a dropkick on Luffy’s head. “I SAID NO!”

“OW!”

Zoro hums in approval, and Nami slow claps.

Usopp extends an elbow, and Kinoko flutters over, landing on the appendage and breathing out in relief.

“Her name is Kinoko,” he introduces them, “Sorry about her, she likes to crash into people for fun. She’s my seeing-eye bird.”

“Your what?”

“What’s a--”

Luffy’s stomach growls. He broods, “so we can’t eat that bird? But I’m hungry!”

They decide to head for the restaurant, first of all.

-

“Oh my Usopp-kun, new friends?”

“Yeah, they’re pirates!”

Zoro and Nami’s jaws drop. Luffy yells a greeting right back. The auntie laughs it off, then reminds Usopp to come by later for groceries. 

Nami facepalms. “Usopp the Liar has become a village favourite, huh?”

Usopp chuckles right back, “they don’t take me seriously anymore. It’s pretty amusing.”

Finally arriving at the restaurant and placing in a monster-sized order, he repeats his introduction to Zoro and Luffy. “My name is Captain Usopp! I command a fleet of--”

“--Three people,” Nami cuts in.

“People fear me! I’m known as Usopp the Great!”

“Weren’t you Usopp the Terrible a minute ago?” Zoro asks.

“I was once a leader of the greatest tribe in the Country of Giants. They called me the King of the Snipers! And my eighty million followers called me God!”

“COooooL!” Luffy’s eyes sparkle.

“Your character’s all over the place,” Zoro mutters. “Are you a leader, a king or a god?”

Nami just sighs. 

(Come to think of it. The entire world _did_ call him ‘god’, didn’t they? And the King of the Snipers. And yeah, he did make it pretty big in Elbaf last time...)

She facepalms. The only truth in it was the most unbelievable part of it… in some way, it’s impressive.

“So how do you know Nami, Usopp?” Luffy says. “I thought Nami was with White Bread.”

“You were with _what_?” Usopp says, turning to the general direction of the orange-haired navigator, “what have you been up to??”

Nami giggles, “it’s a long story! But me and Usopp, we go way back. We used to sail on the same ship for a while, and then we got separated for a few years.”

Zoro hums, “you went to the Grand Line?”

Usopp smiles, gathering the lie he has to tell, “yep! I’m a marksman-- a sniper. I never miss my target, you know! I could shoot the wings off a fly two hundred miles over the horizon! They call me Usopp, the man of miracles! I always come through in a pinch!”

Zoro makes a noise that indicates he doesn’t believe that at all.

Luffy goes “wOAH! THAT’S SO COOL!” before continuing to eat. 

Then he pauses, and lifts his head. 

“Wait. You’re Yasopp’s kid, aren’t you?!” he suddenly realizes, eyes now sparkling with a sort of recognition. “I knew you looked familiar!”

Usopp chuckles, knowing that they’ve now caught the attention of a few other restaurant patrons. “Oh, you knew my dad?” he prompts.

“Yeah, I’ve known him since I was young!” Luffy says, continuing to stuff his face but somehow still managing to make his sentences make sense. He swallows. “He was on Shanks’ crew!” The entire restaurant’s worth of occupants all back away two meters. “He always talked about you!”

Zoro looks around, “what’s with the reaction?”

The crowd’s jaws dropped, hushed whispers passing around rapidly. 

Usopp takes a sip of his drink. “Of course they’d be shocked. Shanks is an _amazingly_ infamous pirate,” he says-- he hums like he’s thinking, leaning into his chin, “so my dad’s that high up the pedestal, eh? I’ll have to catch up.”

Luffy blinks, “is Shanks really that amazing?”

Nami knocks him lightly on the head. “He’s one of the four strongest pirates in the world, Luffy.”

“Huh?” Luffy says. Then, “HUH?!”

“God, you’re hopeless,” Zoro says. “If you’re trying to be Pirate King, you’ve gotta _know_ these things!”

-

The three kids watch in awe as Luffy inhales his food, quite literally.

“Hey, are you really pirates?? Are you gonna burn houses? Are you gonna eat people?” Ninjin asks. “Why are you flying Captain Buggy’s flag?”

Zoro says, “this meat is actually that Buggy dude, we cooked him.”

The vegetable trio screams in horror.

Usopp bolts right up and smacks him up the head, “don’t scare them!”

“This is over, Captain has become a cannibal!” Tamanegi sobs in despair, the three of them hugging each other in dramatic mourning. Looking at the clock, they decide, “let’s go tell Miss Kaya.”

Then they run off. 

Usopp yelps, “what are you going to tell her?? HEY!”

“Kaya?” Luffy asks. “Whuzzat?”

“ _Kaya_ ?” Nami asks, and Usopp can _hear_ the suggestive smile on her face. 

Usopp wants to curl up and die now.

“You guys need a ship, right?” he turns to them, quickly changing the subject. Luffy hums affirmatively. “Let’s go meet her, then.”

“You guys have a ship you can give us??” Luffy brightens up.

“Again with the convenient bullshit…” Zoro mumbles, “should I be getting used to this?”

“Probably,” Nami says, standing up, “then we can set right off after that. Let’s go meet your girlfriend, Usopp.” 

There’s a shocked moment.

Then Luffy spits out all his food on Zoro. “YOu HAVE A--”

“NO SHE’S NOT!” Usopp yelps back, but Luffy is now preoccupied because Zoro is literally squeezing his neck to mince.

“Yes she absolutely is,” the waiter puts down their bill, “don’t even deny it, Usopp.”

“You’re turning against me too, madam?”

“You’ve been joined at the hip since you two were ten. I’d call you married if Merry wouldn’t shave your head off for it.”

Nami snickers her usual, blackmail-acquired snicker. Usopp pales.

He stands up abruptly, face heating up. “Anyways! Time to go!”

God, if he stays here any longer with them, Nami will manage to gather enough blackmail to cripple Usopp financially for life!

(And somehow, Usopp thinks that’s probably okay.)


	9. [we're all mad here, apparently]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro's confused. That's it. That's the chapter.

Zoro thinks everything is weird as _fuck_ and Luffy needs to be a little more aware of that. 

He hasn’t even met Nami for more than a minute, and Nami is already raising all the alarms in his head. God, this crew is goners without him!

She exudes the air of a warrior, battered and beaten and resting in the body of a laid-back teenager.

Sort of like his dojo master-- a grandmaster hiding in complacency. Hell, Zoro knows the cons of underestimating someone like that firsthand.

And that arm. That _arm_. 

It’s a prosthetic. He’s not going to ask how she lost it-- but a girl, working a metal arm like it belongs on her? That’s the sign of level one guts, especially in East Blue. 

Most people leave lost arms be-- even that one Yonko left his arm alone instead of seeking to replace it-- because metal arms bring more bad than good. It changes your fighting style, alters your footsteps, throws you off balance. 

Not something you'd do unless you're committed to a life of rough battle.

Someone who can fight well with a limb that they didn’t grow up with-- that’s a fighter rising from the pits of hell. Kuina would’ve _loved_ to meet Nami.

Zoro respects Nami, but he only trusts her about as far as he can throw her. 

...which, in hindsight, might be pretty far actually.

No no no, that’s not the main problem.

Luffy asked someone to join straight up, and she actually said yes without hesitation? Then he proceeded to blow someone up for her, and she’s already loyal as a clingbug, not even complaining when Luffy literally eats her treasure dry?

And then the Whitebeard mark. What the fuck.

So somehow, by some mad coincidence, Luffy meets a former Whitebeard pirate that’s also a good navigator with a lot of money, _and she just joins?_ There’s suspicious, and then there’s this. 

Zoro just wants an explanation. Or twenty.

-

Then he sees her awake most nights, sees her cry some.

He rolls over and continues to pretend he’s asleep.

If Nami’s suspicious, they can deal with it later in the future.

But for now, she’s fine here.

-

“Let’s get a big ship on our next island!” Luffy declares. “We got a navigator! Now we need a musician.”

Zoro laughs at that last part. “A musician?”

“Yeah, cause pirates sing!” Luffy grins.

Nami sighs longsufferingly. “Why are the most ridiculous things always on your priority list? We need a doctor, first and foremost!”

“A doctor? Why?” Luffy asks, because he genuinely doesn’t know at all.

Nami facepalms.

“If you’re planning on going to the Grand Line, you need to be more prepared than just _battle battle adventure treasure_ and _fight_!” she bonks him on the head.

Zoro doesn’t even respond this time. He’s used to that now. 

She lifts her hand and counts off her fingers. “You need a skilled navigator to even get there. Then you need a doctor in case anyone gets hurt. You need a shipwright to keep you afloat, and a scholar of the Grand Line if we don’t want to die immediately.”

Luffy blinks, “so we need mystery people?” 

He immediately receives a well-deserved punch to the head.

Zoro looks at Nami and doesn’t say anything.

“I’m gonna guess you don’t understand either?” Nami asks.

Zoro hesitates for a moment. Then he nods.

Nami sighs. “Okay, okay,” she calms herself down, “we can agree that musicians aren't a priority right now?”

Zoro nods. “But do we have a choice?”

Nami groans, “you definitely know Luffy well.”

Zoro, for one, is glad that Nami is to some degree a sane person. Too bad their Captain is insane enough for both of them.

-

One thing Zoro finds rather interesting is that, even after they realized Nami was a Grand Line Pirate, Luffy doesn’t ask a thing about it.

No ‘what’s the Grand Line like’ or ‘are there really crazy things there?’ or ‘how dangerous is it?’, not even questions of treasure or Whitebeard.

Just ‘oh okay, but you’re with us now’. 

Luffy is strange, but what else is new?

Looks like Zoro has some catching up to do in the weirdo department.

-

“OW!” Luffy whines for the hundredth time, because he’s made another dumb comment probably.

Zoro stares. _When will he learn?_

“Wait,” he says, “Luffy.” The boy turns to him. “You’re made of rubber, but it still hurts?”

Luffy stares at him for a moment, holding his throbbing head.

Then he balks, “you’re right!” Luffy snaps towards Nami, “why does it hurt?? It’s like what Grandpa does.”

Zoro raises an eyebrow at the last part.

Nami hums. “Well, it’s something you have to know to survive in the Grand Line. Your grandpa… if it’s who I think it is, then yeah, he definitely knows how to do it.”

Luffy blanches, “you know my grandpa?”

“The entire world knows your grandpa, Luffy,” Nami dismisses, “it’s called Haki, and it can nullify Devil Fruit powers to some degree. Wanna learn it, Zoro? Then you can help me knock some sense into this idiot.”

Luffy makes an offended, traumatised noise in the corner.

Zoro blinks appreciatively at Nami, surprised by the sudden offer. “I can learn it?”

Nami smiles. “Anyone can learn it. In fact, I reckon you’ll be able to do this _much_ better than I can,” she says, “the swordsmen that can do this-- they can cut through stone, steel, ships, I’m not a swordsman so I don’t know, but yeah. It’ll definitely come in handy for you, Zoro.”

That definitely caught his interest. 

So all great swordsmen can do it? That’s something an East Blue swordsman like him would never know otherwise. Doesn’t that mean he’s way too far behind right now? He can’t cut steel yet, but apparently it’s common in the Grand Line? Damn.

Zoro clutched his swords closer to him, thinking twice. “What’s the catch?”

Nami grins, “my lesson fees are pricey.”

“For _get_ it, witch!” he snaps, “you have all our money right now!”

Nami smiles wider, “oh, I can lend you some!” she raises her hands in a counting-money motion, “at a two-hundred percent interest, of course.”

“In your fucking dreams, you thief!”

-

“So that’s the Gecko Islands… it’s pretty big.”

“There’ll definitely be a ship somewhere we can take!”

Luffy looks mildly excited. Zoro reckons he just likes the prospect of adventure, more so than the town itself. Are they going into the town?

“We need to shore off a little more to the side, Luffy,” Nami says, downing the captain’s mood, “I’m flying a pirate sail, so if we go through the major city’s entrance, we’ll have more than just angry civilians with pitchforks on our backs.”

Luffy pouts.

“Huh? Nami, there’s someone sitting there,” Zoro points out first as they come closer to the beach. Sitting by the edge of the cliffside, wearing overalls and not wearing shoes-- as they came closer, Zoro also noticed his oddly long nose.

“Sitting there?” Nami actually put down her rmap, “in plain sight? Is he stupid?”

And Zoro hums. That’s right-- people don’t usually just sit there when a pirate flag is approaching. Zoro can’t quite tell if this guy is good or bad news just yet.

Zoro’s general impression of Nami thus far is ‘she’s this Grand Line veteran, even though she’s younger than me’. And it doesn’t quite strike in until they come to the conservative little Syrup Village and they meet Usopp.

Luffy, of course, is the first to ask who the weird guy is.

And the boy puffs up his chest to declare, in the most staged voice he can muster-- “I'm the great Captain Usopp, leader of the great Usopp Pirate Fleet, commander of eighty million men!” 

How on earth does someone speak all those lines without cringing?

Zoro turns to Nami for validation, only to find that she's frozen. Stuck, jaw slightly agape, eyes stuck in a moment of pain and recognition.

“Hey, Nami,” he speaks, soft, “are you o--”

The boy is still talking, “they call me, Usopp the Terrible!”

“ _No_ ,” Nami jumps, like she’s desperate-- and Zoro can’t help but stare. 

It’s just like she’s been waiting forever to say this, that the words are just lost in her throat. She struggles for a moment too long, but the words come out and there are tears in her eyes. 

“You were called the Worst… Usopp.”

Her voice dies at the end.

And Zoro suddenly realizes. _Oh_ , _they know each other._ They’re acting like old war buddies who haven’t met each other in much, much too long, and it hurt to see each other again.

He turns to the long-nosed boy, and the boy’s completely stiff in his spot. His hand halfway at a thumb pointed toward himself, his eyes squinting like he’s trying really, really hard to look--

His fake joy crumbled instantaneously.

(What was his name? Aesop?)

Zoro turns to Luffy. Luffy’s staring at them with a similar amount of stilted curiosity. Zoro’s impressed that he hasn’t busted a few hundred questions yet-- Luffy was always unnecessarily loud, but it seems like he had tact after all.

“Nami.”

And Zoro immediately regrets thinking this guy was weak at all. 

Even Luffy takes a step back when the glare _sears_ onto Usopp’s face. Roaring from his figure, a will so fierceful and so-- so _angry_ \-- that Zoro’s first instinct is to reach for his swords and Luffy’s fists tightened into a fighting stance.

Zoro swallows something thick in his throat. Because _fuck_ , that was the kind of bloodlust you’d feel from Koushiro when one of his students got hurt by a bandit. Pure unadulterated _anger_.

“Nami, who did that to your arm?”

Zoro pulls his sword out of his sheathe. Luffy fixes a stern glance on Zoro, and Zoro eases. Because Luffy says no-- and that’s probably got a reason.

Yeah, let the two settle this themselves.

Nami finally puts her metal arm out before them, telling them that it was fine. Nami breathes out strong and slow, like she’s forcing herself to ease.

“I’ll handle this,” she whispers to them.

Then she raises her voice.

“Usopp!” she says, then with a more resolved tone, “it’s just you and me.”

The weight lifts right off of Zoro, and Zoro suddenly realizes just how tight his breathing has been. That glare was heavy. _So_ heavy. _So this is the level of a former Grand Liner?_

They’re so behind.

Usopp and Nami are looking at each other eye to eye-- Zoro recognizes this as a silent conversation between trusted comrades. 

Luffy looks like he’s really interested now-- Zoro rolls his eyes at that-- so Zoro slots his sword back into the scabbard and straightens himself. If there’s no danger, then _whatever_ now.

“You guys are Nami’s friends?” Usopp speaks in a similar tone to his funny declaration from before, and Zoro does a double-take at the friendliness. “I guess that’s fine then. Come on into the village! I’ll treat you to a meal.”

Luffy beams at the prospect of a meal. Of course.

If anything goes wrong, Zoro is going to stab Luffy and run.

-

“I’m so glad you’re alive.”

What the fuck? What the fuck.

Zoro isn’t going to ask. Okay, he’s not going to ask. It’s not his business anyways, and Luffy is-- “Oh my god Luffy!” 

Luffy gets attacked by a bird. _Again_.

He’s still screaming, throwing blind punches around but the bird is literally just grasping his face for life because Luffy’s shaking too much for it to get a balance and fly off. Cue the struggling madness.

Zoro contemplates drawing his sword-- but he’s not sure which he should cut first, the bird or the monkey. They’re both fucking idiots.

“SAAAGUACK! YOROOO!” Luffy yells.

Zoro sighs. He’s going to pretend he doesn’t hear a thing. At least this bird isn’t big enough to carry the boy off. He doesn’t want to go on a captain chase across the seas again.

Finally, Luffy wins. He yells “STUPID BIRD!!” and peels the bird right off of him, giving it a punch to the head for good measure. “God that surprised me.”

The bird looks horrified stiff.

It’s a strange bird. It’s not very big-- it’s smaller than an average News Coo, but it’s probably not a baby eagle. It has a deep silver coat, streaked with bronze save for the white belly. 

Looks weird. Is it a native Gecko Island bird?

“A bird,” Zoro notes, wondering if he could butcher it, “looks edible.” Because that’s, obviously, the most important thing right now.

Then Usopp barges into them, interrupting with a panicked shout of “wait wait wait!”, snatching the bird right away and cradling it to his chest like he was looking at a pair of monsters. “This bird’s my friend! You can’t eat her!”

_Awh man, that sucks._

Then Usopp drops a solid heel on Luffy’s head (if Luffy wasn’t rubber, he’d probably have cracked that skull) and Zoro can’t help but feel a little apprehensive around the kid. 

That’s mildly terrifying. Are all of Nami’s friends like this?

They watch the bird fly back off in some other direction, the boy not really caring for where it goes after leaving the rubberman’s reasonable range. 

Nami and Usopp lead them into the village, and Zoro can’t help but look down again, wondering why the long-nosed boy still isn’t wearing shoes as they step onto the stone pavement.

 _Isn’t that an injury hazard?_ Even Luffy wears shoes.

Well whatever, it isn’t Zoro’s business. And Nami doesn’t seem to respond to it, so maybe it’s a normal thing between them? Oh god, Zoro really needs to up his weirdo game if he wants to fit into this crew.

... _wait_. He’s not in the crew yet. Why is Zoro already assuming every weird guy they come across is going to join the crew?

Lord, being sane _hurts_.

-

They meet the Usopp Pirates, which is basically a legion of brats that sort of worship the long-nosed storyteller like he’s a hero or something.

They learn a lot about him in the next hour. He’s known as a serial liar, and everyone tolerates it. People either enjoy it or hate it with a passion, but no one actively throws things at him for being annoying. 

(Which Zoro is already tempted to do within thirty minutes of meeting this punk.)

Red-haired Shanks’s sniper’s kid. Come to think of it, Luffy’s said that his hat was given to him by the guy-- good lord, is there _no one_ here that isn’t somehow connected to an Emperor? 

Zoro might need to get himself a Warlord as a foster dad so he won’t get left behind, probably.

After chasing the three stooges away with a rather impulsive joke, Zoro gets bonked on the head, and they’re now headed toward a relatively fancy mansion at the top of the hill.

He still doesn’t get why they don't just head toward the main city instead. Even Nami, the smarter one of the bunch, isn’t realizing this.

Is Zoro on crack, or is everyone else on crack without him? 

Whatever then, he doesn’t care as long as he gets to take a nap soon. He’s peaked his quota of bullshit for the day.


	10. [I trust you] (it's all my fault)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaya's thoughts, and then, the awaited hug and cry between Nami and Usopp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! ♥️ here we finally have Usopp and Nami and angst. Enjoy!
> 
> In case you haven't caught the new tags up there, I'm planning to have **a slightly bigger crew for this story** \-- but not too many people, though! I've got two characters in mind now after thinking through what could be their dreams, roles, and new skills throughout the journey. Well, I'm just saying for now.
> 
> And **there will be no romantic pairings among the crew in this story** \-- I'm not a fan of the drama that tends to come with it. The only romantic pairing in this story is Usopp/Kaya, and that's a long-distance thing. Every other relationship is platonic and/or brotherly.
> 
> Next chapter will be the last in the Syrup Village arc!
> 
> _p.s I finally added actual titles to the chapters yay_

Kaya has known Usopp for nearly a decade. 

At first, she had only approached him out of curiosity. Who wouldn’t? The village blind kid, living alone yet he was brave and strong and so oddly independent.

She had been hiding behind his house, peeking in to see what the boy was doing, (he was painting! And it was so cool!) and she was so sure she didn’t make any noise, yet the boy knew where she was, and even _who_ she was.

The boy’s eyes never met hers-- couldn’t, because he can’t see well-- but Usopp always listens to her when she talks about her day. So in return, she listens when he tells her about these strange, magical stories.

(And just a little, she falls in love with those stories, this routine, and this habit.)

Usopp was probably the first friend Kaya made willingly. Of course, her parents encouraged friendship with other smart children in town, but in the backwater village of Syrup, she couldn’t make friends stick. So Usopp was her only real friend.

(And she loved it.)

-

**_(“And so, full of tears and burning with regret, the man ran back. Each step hurt him more and more, but no! He couldn’t let this stand!”)_ **

**_(“And with a face full of shame He told them-- no. I am not your hero. I lied to you-- everything about me was a lie-- my lineage, my ideals, even my name was a lie!”)_ **

**_(“But that wasn’t it all. He drew his weapon, and he declared to them-- I will not turn around! I wasn’t the hero you wanted. So now, I will become the hero you need!”)_ **

-

(She always wondered, though, how Usopp could describe things in such vividity, when he was blind? He painted the most beautiful pictures in her mind, and cast the most illustrious stories into her heart. She can’t help but love it.)

The vegetable trio loved the story of the cowardly warrior who became a legend. They always hate him at the start, and then start crying near the end.

It’s the only story Usopp ever told in third person. 

Every other story, Usopp would speak as if he were the one to experience those adventures-- the large fish dump island. The century-long competition of the two warriors. Each one of these were clearly lies, yet Usopp daringly pretended he was the warrior in those stories.

It was a little terrible, but so charming in the children’s eyes. Kaya allowed herself to enjoy this.

But the cowardly warrior-- who is this man, that Usopp dared not project himself into?

-

“Miss Kaaaaya!” 

She sticks her head out the window in time to see the Veggie brigade hustle in tearfully.

The next lines were probably a jumbled mixture of ‘captain, captain’, ‘pirates, witch, demon hag that eats humans’, ‘cannibals,’ (that word was abnormally clear,) ‘buggy got eaten, eaten, got buggy’, and whatever else. She’s getting good at deciphering their simultaneous speech.

She leans over her window, giggling. “Tamanegi-kun, why don't you explain it instead.” 

In the garden, Merry is gleefully tending to the garden. Her mother is in the hall, crocheting, and her father is in the kitchen.

“CAPTAIN’S A CANNIBAL!!”

Cue the sounds of glass shattering. 

Kaya facepalms. 

“AHHH! They’re coming! They’re coming this way!”

The kids are running the endless circle of panic around Merry, and Merry is desperate to find out if the master hurt himself in the kitchen when he dropped that cup, and in the distance, Kaya _knows_ her mother is cackling.

She sighs.

-

Kaya meets Usopp’s friends.

(He hasn’t left the island ever since he was born. There’s no logical reason he would have friends from outside the island. It just doesn’t make sense.)

( _“The boy with the straw hat who’s always full of smiles. The green-haired swordsman with three swords at his belt. The orange-haired burglar cat who loves money more than people.”_ )

She stops short, taking in the appearances, so congruent, so right, so perfect like the last piece of a puzzle.

( _“And the little cowardly warrior was always behind them, lame in comparison.”_ )

Oh. She looks at Usopp, who’s waving in her direction. _Oh_.

Kaya smiles. Casting one mildly curious glance at the admittedly interesting group behind Usopp, Kaya climbed over the windowsill, hopped onto the branch-- and jumped down.

“Usopp-san!”

Usopp lets out a surprised squawk, but Kaya already knows his arms are spread to catch her. Usopp has never dropped her before. He’ll definitely yell at her, though.

(She ignores Merry’s frantic screaming in the background.)

“Wait, Kaya!” here it comes. 

Usopp snatches her beautifully into his arms and sets her down, because he panics and he flushes easily, but he’s incredible and, in no known way at all, lame. 

Once he affirms that the girl is safe, he flusters. “You can’t just-- why would you-- god how many times do I have to tell you _no--_ ”

Kaya takes the chance to get a good look at his companions, and their surprised faces.

The ginger-headed girl smirks at her, and Kaya musters the sweetest smile she can whilst purposefully staying exactly where she is, with her arms wrapped lazily around Usopp’s neck and Usopp’s hands firm at her waist.

(Mother always said you have to claim your territory strongly, and Kaya has always been a mommy’s girl.)

“Who’re you?” the one with the straw hat asks.

“It’s very nice to meet you,” she says. “I take it you’re Usopp-san’s friends?”

“Oh they’re just--” Usopp straightens, urging Kaya to let go. He turns briefly to them, “the rude and loud one is Luffy. The green one is Zoro, and the girl is Nami.” 

Zoro makes a rightfully offended remark (what do you mean _the green one_ ) and Luffy laughs. Kaya smiles, because they seem like good people. 

Usopp’s built the habit of pointing out the most obvious traits in people to distinguish them, and more often than not they offend people. He says he’s trying to work on it, but Kaya reckons he just likes to see people get angry.

“--well, new recruits of sort. They wanted a new ship, so do you think we could give them the Going Merry?” he turns to Merry, where the three kids have taken to hiding behind as if the man was a well-placed clothes rack of camouflage. 

Kaya blinks, “the Going Merry?” she asks. 

That’s a recently built (two years ago) ship, made to be taken alongside her father’s Sloop on their business trips-- but they’ve deemed the ship a little too small for the work and it’s been left aside for Usopp to occasionally take on his trips to Baratie. 

He never did, though. Usopp loved that caravel so much.

And he’s giving it to these people?

_(Ah, that could only mean one thing.)_

She couldn’t help the saddened look on her face, but she bloomed into a smile. “Of course you can! Right, Merry?”

Merry flusters, looking like he has a lot to say-- but Kaya knows that there’s more confusion than denial in his splutterings. They’ve agreed long ago that Usopp can do whatever he wants with the ship.

Kaya steps toward the three of them, greeting them with a polite bow. 

“Luffy-san, Zoro-san, and Nami-san, was it?” she says, “my name is Kaya. It’s nice to meet you.”

-

Kaya’s known for a while that Usopp’s heart wishes to be a pirate. He doesn’t exactly hide it-- all his stories are of great voyages that can’t be legal. He plays pirate with three kids and they love it, but Usopp’s heart is serious.

And Kaya’s known for a while that Usopp isn’t as kind as she thinks.

She’s known since the day Khlahadore died in their basement, presumably from a medical complication because they just couldn’t detect the cause.

They were sad, but Usopp was dismissive about it.

Usopp stayed in his house and worked on a collapsible three-piece staff, and Kaya pretended not to notice the five-pointed slingshot in the corner of the house.

There’s no proof, but deep down, she just knew.

A while after that, Tamanegi found a bounty poster for Black Cat Captain Kuro, and all the questions in her heart were answered.

Kaya cried herself to sleep, and then the next day, she just wanted to know _more_.

Usopp never tells her more.

She’s bitter, but she’s fine. Usopp has his reasons and if there’s anything that she knows, it’s the fact that Usopp never wants to hurt her.

-

She catches Kinoko on her arm, and carefully shows it off to Luffy. Apparently, he’s made of rubber! That sounds like something right out of Usopp’s stories, and Kaya would be fascinated if he weren’t drooling.

Eventually, the boy and the bird engage in a heated staring contest. They must be on a similar wavelength, then.

Usopp and Nami have left for the town, apparently needing to stock up and pack for the journey, and Usopp is showing her around.

The green-haired swordsman is asleep in the corner, and the Vegetable trio are carefully prodding at the sleeping lion with the longest stick they can find. Occasionally the swordsman bolts up with a roar, and they dash away screaming.

A minute later, the three stooges come back with a longer stick. Just to try again.

“Oh, it’s on, you bird!” Luffy yells at her, and Kaya’s attention is drawn back to the exchange.

Kinoko makes an angry caw-- but it’s more of a rivalry caw than a hostile caw.

Luffy points in a random direction. “You think you can fly better than me? Well I’ll race you over there!” 

Kinoko makes a very evidently scoffing expression in response. Kaya never knew the bird could ever make such a smug face.

_Are they… communicating?_

Immediately, Kinoko flaps her wings, hovers in the air for a moment. Luffy turns around and stretches his arm out to hold at the gate, positioning himself like a large slingshot.

Then they give Kaya a synchronous glance.

“Uh,” she stumbles, “ready, set. Go?”

They literally shoot off at the speed of light. There’s a faint yell that sounds like ‘rocket’(!!!) from the boy, and Kinoko is zooming ahead in the same manner she always does when she finds a mouse at the corner of the house.

Kaya doesn’t know what to do, she’s never been in such a stupefying situation.

“Uhm, be careful,” she reminds into the air.

Whatever this situation is, she’s glad that Usopp might actually fit _right in_ with these crazy guys.

-

* * *

-

It’s strange, how Usopp and Nami always find it so easy.

She doesn’t want Usopp to leave her sight for even a second. She’s clingy like that-- selfish, possessive, and her crew is _hers_. 

If Usopp’s noticed her Haki clutching around him, maybe he just ignored it. She can feel his, much more versatile Observation, wrap around her too, like a thick fluffy cloud they just can’t break away from, but it’s so soft and comfortable she’d wear it to sleep.

They slot themselves into a bar first. 

Get a drink, and the conversations come easy. They reminisce on drinking habits, divulging into the third annual discussion of whether Nami actually has a liver or not.

They don’t get drunk. 

Instead, they leave quickly after planning their shopping list, then they get a donut to snack on. Lugging behind them bags of groceries and tools on a trolley, they reminisce about the bubble bags in Sabaody.

Usopp doesn’t need to tell her anything. Nami just watches him, and she knows.

Usopp had walked into the store and asked for the things he needed. The shopkeeper had patiently walked around to gather the bolts, nuts, and screws for him.

If there was anything Nami knew, it was the fact that Usopp loved to choose his own supplies. There was novelty in picking out the best of the batch on your own, and Usopp was just superstitious like that.

He walks barefooted on the stone pavement. His eyes never look at her-- they blink a little less often than she knows eyes are meant to. 

Nami has studied human behaviour for ages. She knows what this means. She knows what this means about Usopp.

_(Tell me it isn’t true.)_

_(...It is, isn’t it?)_

The pain just bubbles in her throat, but she can’t do it yet. Not yet. She lets the burn sear into her throat and hurt her, hurt her, hurt her.

That’s it.

And it’s the moment they walk to the mouth of the forest, to where she knows Usopp’s old house is. She just stops, and she can’t help the tears.

Usopp turns around, and there’s just a mutual _knowing_ that sinks in.

Something in her breaks.

“I’m,” she chokes out, and Usopp’s already stepping forward to give her a hug. She cries. “ _I’m sorry_.”

(I’m sorry _sorrysorrysorry_ I’m _so so sorry_ )

Usopp holds. Holds her tight, feels every bit of her shivering, of her snivelling, and he just wraps his arms tighter around the girl and _waits_.

“It’s not your fault,” he says, and he repeats, “it’s not your fault.”

Nami doesn’t believe it for a second.

( _It’s because I wasn’t there. It’s because I left you behind left everyone behind because I was so scared I didn’t bother I just assumed it was fine and and and_ )

“There was nothing you could have done, Nami.”

( _I should’ve been there even if I couldn’t._ )

“None of us did anything wrong. We did our best.”

Nami cries anyway. Buries her fingers into Usopp’s back and sobs, trying not to be loud about it. Breathes quickly and sniffles and squeezes her eyes painfully shut.

She feels Usopp rub soothing circles into her back, and clutches closer.

And suddenly, the anger is back again. The fury twisting in her throat, she bites her lip down hard. 

Then Usopp pulls apart slightly _(no no no come back)_ and puts a hand under her chin. She stares back at those eyes-- those mildly unfocused, and upon closer look, just a little murky in colour-- and she turns away.

“Marines?” he asks first, and Nami takes a moment to realize he’s referring to her arm.

She shakes her head, then realizes something. “No, not the marines,” she says, “bounty hunters. They were a sick bunch.”

Usopp’s brows furrow. “Your foot too?”

Nami blinks once, “you can tell?”

Usopp’s frown only deepens at that, so Nami answers with a hum into his shoulder, getting back the contact and the warmth she needed. 

They stay like that for a moment. Nami can’t see Usopp’s expressions, but she can feel just slightly with her Haki that Usopp has a similar monstrous churn of emotions inside him. It can’t be pleasant, but what ever is?

“What about you?” Nami asks, and she hates how her voice cracks. 

She feels the tears coming again and she hates it. She’s past the point of crying now-- she promised a lifetime ago to live with a smile on her face. What is she _doing_?

Usopp doesn’t answer her. The pained look is answer enough.

She reaches up a shaky hand toward Usopp’s face, and lets the palm cup his cheek. She looks up once, and she fights against the tears again. 

“Where was I?” she finally makes out the words and it’s not the first question she intended to ask. 

( _Where was I when they did this to you? How could I not have been there?_ )

Usopp’s chest lowers in a sigh. He leans, just a little, into her palm. He keeps his arms around her, and he doesn’t smile. 

“You were _safer_ ,” he chooses his words carefully, “and that’s all that matters.”

Nami’s situation was just like hell. So Usopp could only be in one other place, and Nami can’t help but hate hate _hate_ herself again.

She buries her face into Usopp’s shoulder, and though she doesn’t cry this time, she doesn’t move from there. 

She stays there, not thinking about anything, not talking about anything. She just stays and listens and feels and they’re both _breathing_ and that’s all that matters now.

(That’s all that matters now.)

~~(It’s not fine, but it will be.)~~

-

Nami pulls the trolley of materials with her metal arm, her other arm looped around Usopp’s. If Usopp was bothered by it, he didn’t let it show at all. He just shrugged his own bag of items over his other shoulder, and continued his way toward the house.

“You’ve gotten stronger,” he says, and it’s like the words are strangled out of him.

Nami gives her arm a light glance.

If anything-- she’s gotten weaker. It’s obvious-- she’s two limbs down, a few years back in physique, and a couple months out in Haki. She’s far from her prime, and that’s not surprising considering they’re younger now.

They’ve really trained religiously for as many years as they could, but somehow, something’s just weaker either way.

Instead, she puts a hand on Usopp’s bicep.

“You too,” she says. “God-- we don’t need two muscleheads on the ship. You taking after Zoro now?”

Usopp sighs theatrically, “what can I say, living so many years on the same ship as that trainoholic, it’s contagious.”

Nami laughs anyways. “I guess one sad thing about this arm is that my Happiness Punch would be worth a little less.”

Usopp grimaces, “ _please_ , none of us ever liked it when you do that.”

“Remember that one time in Wano?”

“God, that was a _disaster_ . It actually seemed like it was going to _work_ , and who did it work on? Sanji. What the hell was he doing in there? Actually, I don’t wanna know.”

“Well, he _did_ say he wanted to be an invisible man for a _rather_ specific reason…”

“Dear lord.”

Usopp flicked the lights on in his house.

“There’s nothing much I need to grab. Just clothes, a toolbox, and of course,” he stepped over the carpet and pulled out a blue object, tossing the three pieces over his shoulder. “Your one and only.”

Nami snatched her Clima Tact out of the air, and she swoons.

It’s the basic model, her very first. No dials, no Pop Greens. That’ll change soon.

Nami may have made her first Sorcery Clima Tact on her own, but it was made from a rendition of the previous model. The concept and beauty of the Clima Tact came from none other than Usopp himself, and she’s always loved it.

She tried to make it herself, with Jozu and Haruta’s help on the Moby Dick. Hilariously enough, they managed to make a large cloud-making machine with the concept. It was a disaster for Namur’s sanity, but they never could figure out how to compact it well enough to weaponize it efficiently.

Usopp’s creative, out-of-the-box thinking was something abnormally unique he had even back in the East.

So Nami stuck with her usual three-piece staff with no enhancements. It just didn’t feel right.

“I missed it,” she admits quickly, a bright smile on her face, “I never really understood how you made them so compact without dials. How’d you do it without Grand Line tech, though?”

Usopp huffs proudly. “It’s because I’m the Great Captain Usopp, craftsman of the Pirate King’s ship! Of course I can do anything.”

Nami humours him with a dry laugh. “Ha, hah. Now c’mon, grab your slingshot. Let’s go. We’ve got business before we go back, right?”

And Usopp does. They leave their luggage in the house, and step out with their weapons in hand.

Standing side by side, confident smiles on their faces-- for a blissful moment, it’s as if they were in the future again, the cowardly duo facing an opponent due to an unfortunate coincidence and unlucky matchup.

It’s nostalgic.

“Y’know, what would you have done if I was still the me in the past?” Nami asks, nodding her head toward the assembled staff before realizing Usopp can’t see it, “with the Clima Tact, I mean.”

Usopp hums, “I’d probably hide it? Then give it to you when you ask for a weapon or something. No offense, you would’ve been _dangerous_ if I gave this to you before Lufy beat up Arlong.”

Nami snorts. “You could give it to Luffy. Remember the time he stole Sabo’s pipe and straight-up socked Dragon in the face for being ‘a meanie’?”

Usopp groans, “yes, he shaved a good thirty years off of my life that day. And no, you would _kill_ me for giving you Luffy’s hand-me-downs.”

Nami hums, “ah you’re right.” Then she spins the pole around a few times, doing a spin and practicing a bojutsu kata. Straightening, she huffs. “Perfect. I’d like it a little heavier, though, and longer.”

“Already making demands? What a slavedriver.”

“Hush hush. You’re my mechanic, aren’t you? If you want me to do it myself I’ll charge you for my time, effort and resources. On a 300% interest.”

“Wow, what about my payment for making it in the first pl-- I KNOW THAT THING IS SPINNING NAMI I’M NOT FALLING FOR THE MIRAGE TEMPO AGAIN GET BACK HERE”

The comedic playout is interrupted when Usopp tenses. Nami straightens, because she knows Usopp’s Haki stretches further than she can imagine and it’s only gotten further since the last time she’s seen him.

Usopp steps back once just in time for a rubber body to _slam_ into the sand, sinking in like a screaming meteor and burying himself into a hole as he lands.

Nami resists the urge to facepalm.

Usopp looks up and raises his arm to receive his bird friend Kinoko as it arrives. “Hey there girl, what’s up with you?” he asks the bird, because it’s (she’s?) breathing like she’s run a marathon. Do birds run marathons? 

On cue, Luffy bursts back to life with an explosion of sand. 

“HAH!” he says, head spinning around before his gaze locked on the bird, and he has that competitive glint that he always wears when he fights stupid fights, “I won!”

Kinoko makes an offended squawk, flapping her wings angrily. Evidently, she disagrees with that verdict.

“What? I obviously got here first! You were smelling my dust!” Luffy throws his hands into the air.

Nami sighs, “Luffy, the phrase is ‘left in my dust’, not smelling,” she says, but Luffy is growling like a feral animal at the bird so he’s probably not listening.

Finally, Luffy turns accusingly to Usopp, “Usopp! You saw right? I got here first!”

Usopp is silent for a moment. 

Then he juts out, like he’s kind of appalled, “oh yeah. Certainly. Definitely.”

Luffy balks, “that’s the tone Shanks uses when he absolutely doesn’t believe me!” he whines. He turns to the bird, and the bird is grinning smugly. “Damn you, you bird! I’ll roast you!”

Nami thinks this is fucking hilarious. That bird has a future in being an annoying little shit, and Nami volunteers to be the mentor.

Her Observation Haki picks up a presence, and she looks up to find… oh, not this guy again. 

(Usopp said he dealt with Khlahadore long ago, but the rest of his crew were still on standby with orders to return in three years. That’s today.)

She spins her staff around, and knocks it against the straw-hatted boy’s head. Luffy is completely unfazed, but his attention is grabbed.

“Alright Luffy. You can fight Mushy later, okay? We’ve got trouble,” she says, pointing toward the sea with her other hand. She ignores Usopp when he clarifies the bird’s name.

Luffy follows the pointer, and there’s a man at the shore, wearing a horrendous suit, a terrible hairstyle, weird heart-shaped sunglasses, and of course he’s walking like a total unoriginal moron. 

Jango turns to them, and he snaps, “what’re you looking at? I’m just a passing hypnotist, nothing special, nothing suspicious, nothing to see here. Shoo.”

“Who’s that idiot?” Luffy says.

“Hi there,” Usopp interrupts them. “Mister Jango, the hypnotist? I assume you’re here to look for your captain, Mister Black Cat Kuro.”

Jango stills for a short but very obvious second, then he sputters like the most _convincing_ liar in the world. “Wha- What are you talking about? I don't know any man like that! I’m just a passing hypnotist. Please excuse m--”

He goes silent.

Nami has his Den Den Mushi in his hand. 

“It says Kuro on it, wow,” she feigns, “I wonder who it is. There’s a skull and crossbones on it. You must be a pirate crew then? But what would a pirate crew do in this backwater village? Aha.” She clicks her fingers and whistles in fake surprise, “are you after the pretty rich lady in the mansion?”

Jango startles dramatically, ironically entirely honest, “oh no! They found out about Operation Assassinate Ojou-sama!”

Nami tries really hard not to laugh. Usopp looks like he wants to kill this guy yesterday. 

Luffy looks back and forth between them. Then, “wait, you’re trying to kill Usopp’s girlfriend?!”

“She is NOT my--”

Jango quickly whips out his bladed pendulum. “You leave me with no choice. I’ll have to make you forget everything! Now look here, and in three second you will--”

**_WHACK!!_ **

Usopp bashes him in the eyes with the hilt of his Kabuto, shattering the sunglasses.

“What a waste of time,” he mutters, turning away. Kinoko, at some point, has moved from his arm to settle on his head. “I found them, Nami. They’re on the South shore. Let’s go.” 

Luffy stares, awestruck for a moment.

Then Luffy makes a pouting, sad sound, poking at the fainted hypnotist, “but I wanted to see what he was gonna do! It looked cool.”

“Don’t be stupid, Luffy,” Nami says, “wanna come with us?”

“Huh? Where’re you going?” Luffy asks, tilting his head to the side.

Nami grins, “somewhere fun.”


	11. [weird, but cool] a cowardly warrior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy's awfully terrible rivalry with the bird continues.  
> Meanwhile, Usopp gets a very important parting present from Merry.

Luffy is always curious, always eager for adventure.

He’s learned it a long time ago that when people don’t want to tell you things, you don’t ask. Ace punched him in the mouth too many times for him to not think twice now.

And eventually, he realizes that it’s fine. 

Everyone carries a different weight. He doesn’t need to know all of them to have an amazing adventure with them, right? 

Plus, he has the World’s Greatest Swordsman in his crew! That’s awesome.

Oh oh  _ oh _ , but even cooler! Nami! She has a metal arm. How cool is that? Ace is gonna be SO jealous when he hears this. She has a  _ metal _ arm--

“Luffy, you’re shaking the boat with your jittering. If you’ve got too much energy, walk around the boat on your hands or something.”

And Luffy does exactly that. 

Then he trips over Zoro, flips into the sea, and after being rescued by an angry Zoro, Nami punches him on the head.

Ow.

He hates the Fist of Love thingy. 

“There’s a theory to it,” Nami tells them on their way to Syrup. “There are various ways to go about this, but the core of it is spiritual discipline. Depending on how far you take it, you can get much, much stronger. You can even make a branch useful if need be.”

Luffy’s listening, but he’s already lost. Zoro’s the one that was interested in it, so maybe Zoro understands? Nah, Zoro’s an idiot.

“There’s not much of a space, but I’ll show you,” Nami says, picking up her staff. 

She closes her eyes-- and Luffy’s breath holds. The air thickens around Nami, weighing down like a firm blanket. He gulps.

Nami spins her staff behind her, swirling it back before her horizontally. 

Then, right before their eyes, black spreads out on the brown bo staff, coating the wood with a pure, metallic sheen, through from one end to the other.

**_“Armament: Imbuement.”_ **

Nami opens her eyes, and they’re sunken, focused, serious. She closes them again, and breathes out.

Luffy can’t help but feel amazed, breath bated. There was just something so…  _ regal _ about this. Different from the rough movements of his own staffmanship, this was-- like a swordsman. Elegant, noble, and strong.

Luffy gulps. It’s like that one time Garp wielded a staff just to make sure the kids knew how far down the league they were.

She swirls the bo staff around, once, twice, spins, and the staff dances around her. 

Then she brings it down with her right arm, striking not at the water, stopping sharply a little above the surface of the sea.

Luffy was  _ not _ prepared to see the sea cave out under it, sinking like a cannonball had sunk in, leaving a water crater in its wake that was quickly swallowed back up by water again.

The waves rocked the boat wildly, shoving it back quite a few paces. Luffy almost falls off from the sudden jerk, but he falls onto Zoro and finds the swordsman frozen in awe.

Okay, if  _ Zoro _ is impressed, this is amazing. 

“That. Was. COOL!” Luffy says, jumping forward, “hey Nami! Naaami! Do it again!”

Nami spins it back toward her, and the staff is brown when Luffy sees it again. She breathes out with a sigh, and Luffy recognizes that it took a bit of energy out of her. She quickly firms into a frown, “no Luffy, this isn’t easy to do. I’m not doing it again.”

Luffy pouts, but Nami doesn’t change her mind. She lets Luffy take her staff though and Luffy keeps staring at it, wondering why it’s not black anymore.

“Ar--rainbowthing: Innn-bubbles-ment!” he attempts, posing coolly.

“Your word-butchering abilities are in a total other plane of existence,” Nami retorts instantly. “It’s not a magic spell, Luffy.”

Zoro takes the staff to inspect it. “There’s nothing special about the staff…” he mutters, “what’s the trick?”

Nami raises her eyebrows. “It’s just willpower and life energy taking physical form. Haki, I told you.”

Zoro hums, handing Nami her staff back but his eyes never leaving the weapon. “And what happens when you do that to a sword instead of a staff?”

Nami grins. 

“Well, Zoro,” Nami says, “that is when you start competing to be the Greatest Swordsman in the World.”

Zoro’s lips widen into another dangerous grin.

Luffy walks away. His comrades are cool, but they’re all so weird. 

He’s not very interested in their creepy giggling over there (kinda reminds him of Dadan when Luffy gives him some of the treasure he accidentally stole) so he’s going to go into the corner and do more handstands.

-

“They call me Usopp the Terrible!”

“No, they called you the worst, Usopp.”

Luffy stares at that weird exchange for a while. It’s a weird way of conversing, the way they suddenly changed from ‘pretending to not know each other’ to ‘it’s you? Okay’ expressions. Luffy knows those faces because Ace and Sabo’s were pretty obvious.

Oh! They’re speaking in code! Luffy remembers this game.

It was always when they were splitting up to run away from the Gray Terminal bandits. Luffy never managed to remember the codes, but Ace and Sabo used it all the time just to make sure they weren’t being baited by the hooligans.

And oh. Right. That means Nami and this Usopp guy are friends, right?

_...Usopp?_ Where has he heard that name before?

-

Luffy finds this bird as annoying as that dumb trash panda in Gray Terminal that kept stealing the pretty things he wanted to give Makino.

_ What was the bird’s name again? Enoki? Shiitake? Ennosuke? What’s an Ennosuke?  _

“Ey!” is what he ends up with, “what? You wanna fight?!”

The bird scoffs at him from the top of Usopp’s head, and Luffy  _ rages. _ This bird knows  _ exactly _ what he’s doing, and no! Those aren’t normal bird faces, imaginary Sabo!

They’re walking to the other side of town, and he’s so occupied by the stupid bird that he only notices now that Nami and Usopp are holding cool things.

“Nami, is that a new staff?” he asks.

“You  _ just _ noticed?” Nami takes the three-piece and assembles them quickly, handing one end to Luffy. “Usopp made it for it. Want to try holding it?”

Luffy may have outgrown his staff-using age, but using one will always have a special place in his heart. So he takes it happily-- only to stumble slightly in surprise, nearly dropping it before he grasps it with both arms, hugging it close.

He stops quickly, shocked.

“It’s so heavy?!?” he asks, flabbergasted. They just laugh at him, so he holds it properly and tries to spin it. It’s not as hard as he thought.

He passes it back to Nami.

“I’ll show you the cool part of it later,” Nami promises.

Luffy blinks. “Is it a laser bea--MMPH!!”

Nami just literally punched his face in. He can’t see. 

...Help.

-

Usopp raises his slingshot in the direction of the pirate ship in the distance. Luffy looks over, wondering why his eyes are closed.

Usopp breathes out and pulls his sling back, prepared to fire.

“What’re you doing, Usopp?” Luffy asks.

Usopp smiles but his concentration doesn’t break. 

He shifts his aim a little to the side, a little higher. “My skills with a slingshot are much better than with a gun,” he tells him, and Luffy hums.  **_“Hissatsu: Explosive Star!”_ **

Luffy barely catches the zooming projectile before it vanishes in the distance-- and then-- the ship's jolly roger bursts into flames.

Luffy’s jaw drops. 

Immediately, he turns to Usopp, eyes twinkling, “what was tHAT?!?”

Usopp grins, then his face lowers into a serious hero’s face, firm and resolute. 

He speaks softly, like a war-torn warrior, “the truth is… I hail from the island of the Snipers. This is  _ child’s play _ for me! Two hundred miles, three hundred miles-- I can do all this with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind me!”

Luffy is  _ amazed _ . Sniper Island? COOL! Usopp is  _ amazing _ . “Do it again!”

To his disappointment, Usopp holds up his hand as a denial. 

“Ehhhh why noooot?!”

Nami’s laughter comes from behind them. “Don’t worry, Captain,” she says, and Luffy notices she’s spinning that blue baton around, releasing red and blue balls of energy into the sky. “I’ll show you something cooler than a laser beam.”

Luffy knits his eyebrows together. No, nothing is cooler than a laser beam. 

Nami presses a button on her third baton, and a yellow, sparkling orb of energy pops from it. Luffy watches as it floats up to the-- wOAH when did that super duper black cloud get there?

**_“Thunderbolt Tempo!”_ **

Luffy is not literally but very emotionally blown away when the cloud rumbles, sparks-- and then  _ rains _ lightning on the pirate ship. His jaw drops immediately, and he barely realizes what’s going on before there’s panic in the distance, the pirate ship’s mast is on fire, and there are people jumping ship.

“What--” he turns quickly to Nami, “what was that?!?”

Nami just smiles, “cool, right?”

Luffy’s eyes sparkle, “yES!”

He has the coolest comrades  _ ever _ !

-

Nami then bonks Usopp on the head. “Too strong, you moron! You set the mast on fire and that rarely happens even out at  _ sea _ !”

Usopp grumbles, “for the last time, I don’t make the Clima Tact to be used like that! I can’t control the energy of the thunderstorms you make!”

-

* * *

-

Luffy hasn’t stopped grinning in a while, and Usopp knows because Luffy is humming, his voice is dancing stupid dances, and his overall mood is just over the moon in general.

Usopp sighs.

It felt great to finally put his sniping skills to good use again. He sits there, jittering with excitement, and Usopp has his eyes closed and his slingshot out.

His Observation haki stretched out as far as it can go, he locates the voices. It’s much easier to shoot people than things.

Kinoko rests on his head, her voice calculative, directive. She’s a smart bird, Usopp loves her. It works for him that he can hear her voice so clearly.

(She’s my seeing-eye bird, after all.)

“So, why are we fighting them?” Luffy finally asks, and Usopp almost keels over from laughter. They haven’t explained, have they?

Usopp loads his shots again.

“Two years ago, I killed their Captain,” he admits. “He was evil, he was after Kaya… and now, they’re back.”

Luffy stares at him. 

Usopp knows that it doesn’t sound like a very convincing reason to strike a resting pirate ship, but well, he’s a pirate. And Usopp is the village's only line of defence. 

“They’re pirates,” he tells Luffy, “pirates should always be prepared to have people after them. There’s no fair or unfair game once you’ve got money on your heads-- that’s how it is, right?” 

Luffy seems to think for a while, his face a rare neutrality in them.

“Shanks said something like that before,” he says.

Usopp’s a little surprised to hear that, but he smiles, because that’s undeniably a compliment in Luffy’s standards.

Kinoko makes an angry caw from the top of his head.

“What, are you jealous?” he asks. The bird hits him back for that remark.

-

Nami heads down to negotiate (extort) a trade-off and please-go-away. 

Usopp tells Luffy great stories of random adventures while they wait, and he shoots down anything that comes too close for comfort. 

"And so, the Knight went up to the army-- and he said--  _ stop it. The war is over!" _

Luffy sits there, probably comfortable, and adorably amazed by every obviously fake story. Usopp chews down the nostalgia and the pain in his heart and he wills himself to enjoy this. Savour this joy, savour this moment.

Because his Captain is back. 

He’s back, and Usopp doesn’t want to let him go yet. He knows Luffy will run off immediately once he stops, and Usopp doesn’t know if he’ll be able to find him again once he runs too far. He’s blind, after all.

“I’m back!” Nami sings. 

Usopp turns around, slightly saddened that he has to stop. Nami sounds very happy… oh. 

“Woah, what’s all that, Nami?” Luffy asks, and Usopp grimaces, already knowing what’s coming.

“I got their treasure! There’s about five hundred thousand beri in there!” she declares proudly, and Usopp is a little proud, a little defeated. “They’re all getting on rafts and going to escape toward the main town by sea. There’re guards there, so no worries.”

Usopp hums. Sounds good.

“Alright then. Let’s go back, Luffy,” Usopp says. 

Luffy whines, surprised that it’s already over, “but I didn’t get to punch anyone!” 

Usopp picks up his slingshot and starts walking, “turn to your left, there’s someone there you can punch if you want.”

Luffy turns immediately. 

The cat-masked men in the bushes stiffen in shock.

Usopp doesn’t look at the rest. He just hears a loud **_“GOMU GOMU NOOOOO---”_ ** and prays for their sanity.

-

He’s got a little practice in. At least his new Kabuto is working as fine as it can. With Kinoko’s guidance, he should be able to hit his target as much as he used to.

“What’s with that self-satisfied look on your face?” Nami teases. 

Usopp doesn’t hide it. “It’s the first time I actually got to try it out in a sort-of battle, and I’m happy with the results!” 

Nami grins, “I’m really satisfied with the Cyclone Tempo, by the way.”

“Always happy to serve.”

Nami continues to look through her Clima Tact, connecting and altering the arrangement every now. She makes a pleased noise. “Oh, this screw is on  _ perfect _ , Usopp. Please tell me you’ll help me maintain my arm?”

Usopp pauses for a second, strapping the Kabuto to his back. “Depends. I’m not sure how it looks, though.”

“I have the blueprints, if that helps,” Nami offers.

Usopp rolls his eyes, “oh great, that’s perfect.”

“Alrighty!” Nami cheers. Then, “wait.”

Usopp lets her realize it as he walks away. Seriously, Kaya and the Veggie Trio do that all the time too. Usopp’s used to it by now.

“USOPP THIS ISN’T FUNNY”

That’s where Nami is wrong. This is  _ hilarious. _

-

“Ennosuke!” Luffy yells, shrieking at the bird, “that was mine! Give it back!”

They’re at Usopp’s house now, gathering up Usopp’s things and giving all the dangerous stuff a good sealing so the kids won’t break in and explode something while he's gone.

Usopp had gotten Luffy a batch of jumbo-sized donuts from the very ambitious donut store owner for Luffy to occupy himself with, but Kinoko has amazingly managed to grab at it and start flying, scooping it right out of his mouth.

(Or that’s what Usopp gathers from his limited vision and a bunch of educated guessing.)

Kinoko is too focused on flying to retort, but Usopp can feel the victorious glint in that bird’s voice and he just mirthfully wonders who taught her that.

(Probably Tamanegi.)

“Luffy, that bird’s name is Kinoko,” Usopp says, watching Luffy stretch and grab the donut in the air, engaging in a tug-of-war with the vulture. “How did that turn into Ennosuke?”

Kinoko makes a caw in response, but unfortunately, Usopp doesn’t speak bird. Of all things, Ennosuke? 

(That’s a very cool name. And it’s a boy’s name.)

(...for a bird?)

“Giiiiive me my donut you stupid bIRD!”

Ah, so peaceful. Now where did he leave his hair ties in this house? They're missing. Why do hair ties always go missing?

“No, don’t come over here, Kinoko. You pick a fight with the feral monkey, you don’t run to me when you lose.”

-

* * *

-

“Oh, they’re finally back!” 

Once again, Usopp wishes he could see. His Haki gives him a vague picture, but he thinks the kids are actually _ scaling _ Zoro like a tree right now, one on each arm and Ninjin admiring the view on his shoulders.

Zoro is bubbling like he wants to punt them across the ocean. 

"Zoro Zoro listen to this we just fought some ugly looking dumb guy and then Usopp just WHAMMED his head in-- and then Nami also whammed my face in but-- oh and Nami made it thunder just now! It was COOL!!"

Zoro grumbles, "speak in a language I understand," but Luffy just drones on and on.

Usopp sets down his things and greets Kaya, as well as her parents near the entrance. Hm? Where’s Merry? Oh well.

“Uncle, Auntie, we’re going down to the Going Merry, is that fine?” he hollers to them, “we’re making her a pirate ship.”

“Pirate?” Kaya’s father asks, “oh, is this a Yasopp situation?”

Usopp pauses. “What’s that?”

_ A… Yasopp situation. What is that. _

Kaya’s mother laughs. “It’s when some random boy wearing a straw hat just shows up one day and snatches a sea-loving man away to the ocean of his dreams, leaving behind their dear little lady waiting for him.”

“Why is that so very oddly specific?”

Kaya’s mother doesn’t answer. She’s smiling, isn’t she? Usopp doesn’t like that smile. He has never seen the smile, but he doesn’t like the smile.

“It’s nothing like that,” Usopp flushes, “it’s not like I’ve been directly asked to join them anyways--” he pauses, because Luffy makes a loud whine.

“You’re not joining us?!” Luffy sounds like he’s gonna launch into a tantrum in two seconds.

Usopp corrects himself, in the most emotionally exhausted voice he can muster, “yes, I’m being snatched away to the ocean of my dreams.”

And he can  _ feel _ the sparkles of auntie’s voice when she says, “good for you, honey!”

Kaya’s dad groans, “oh, this is a Yasopp situation.”

_ (What the heck did Shanks do?) _

“Mom, stop teasing him,” Kaya chides. She reaches over and takes Usopp’s hand. “C’mon, Usopp-san. The Going Merry is this way.”

Usopp hears Nami giggle behind them, and he’s already dreading everything.

But this is going to be the last time he gets to be led around by Kaya, so he’ll enjoy this for now.

-

They go down, and Merry the butler is there, waiting for them.

“Merry? What’re you doing down here?” Kaya says, surprised to see him there too.

Merry smiles, and Usopp knows that because his voice is friendly. “The Going Merry is my creation, after all. I wanted to present this personally.”

And Luffy makes the most amazed noise in the world, “wooOOAH! It’s a ship!”

“A caravel,” Nami adds, “it’s lovely.”

Zoro whistles, pleased with it too. But “is that a sheep? It is a sheep.”

"Isn't it a lamb?"

"What's the difference?"

Usopp listens as Merry explains to them the systems of the ship and how to sail it-- which he also mentions he trusts Nami knows what she does as the Navigator.

Speaking of knowing how to sail, it would be helpful if they actually got someone with proper sailing knowledge. They got Jimbei way too late last time around and most of their pre New-World troubles could've been avoided, in hindsight.

But Usopp’s attention is turned to a small object in Merry’s hand, which thrums with the voice of something with a sentimental soul.

“So you’re really leaving, huh, Usopp-san?” Kaya says, and Usopp jumps a little. Her hand is on his, and she sounds really sad.

Usopp forces a smile. “I’ll come back when I’ve turned the world once,” he says. “I’ll have a lot more stories to tell you then. Real stories, not made up.”

Because that’s what he did the first time. He’ll do it again, of course he will.

“None of your stories have been lies, though,” Kaya says with a grin.

This time, Usopp can’t hold back the full on flinch of surprise. 

Kaya lets out a giggle. “It’s time for Mister Cowardly Warrior to become a Legend, right?”

Usopp’s lips tremble.  _ God, he loves her so much _ . He wants to hug her. He’s going to miss her, dammit. She always understood him.

Then Merry clears his throat right before them, and both of them squeak, jumping a step away from each other and swirling on the butler.

“Right,” Merry states. 

Usopp knows that Merry is staring at them with disapproval again and right in front of everyone else? He’s so embarrassed right now.

“I have a little something for Kinoko here. You’re bringing her with you, are you not?” Merry asks, and Usopp assumes he raises the thing he’s holding.

Usopp feels Kinoko lift from his head, fluttering over to the butler. Usopp nods, “I can, right?” he looks toward Kaya first, then at Luffy.

(Luffy mumbles “yeah as emergency food supply” and gets punched lightly by Nami.)

And Merry takes out the little object with a soul. Usopp doesn’t really realize what it is, but it’s small and feels as treasured as Zeff’s logbook. Must be quite a thing, then.

Kaya gasps.

“Merry, that’s--!!”

“Yes, it is,” Merry says, “I’m giving it to Kinoko for safekeeping, of course.”

_ (What would you give to a goddamn bird for safekeeping? Kaya stop being surprised and tell me, I’m blind.) _

“Is that made of gold? Oh my god,” Nami’s voice comes from the side. Her voice has that amazed tone to it, like she’s looking at the most adorable or most beautiful thing in the world-- but strangely enough, she stays where she is, not moving forward.

Merry makes a hum of approval. “It’s my family heirloom, so take good care of it, Usopp-kun,” Merry says. 

Usopp swirls on him in horror.  _ Gold? A gold what? You’re giving  _ _ what _ _ to a bird?? Why is Nami not stealing it already? _

Merry continues with a delighted lilt in his voice, “and when you come back home one day, you can give it back to Kaya-ojousama.”

_ A family heirloom?  _ Why would Merry give it to Usopp instead of Kaya? He definitely sees Kaya as more of his child than he does Usopp, right?  _ Wait, what do you mean, to give it back to Kaya--?? _

Usopp receives Kinoko when she comes back, only to hear a little more noise at the bird’s leg. He reaches up, curiously prodding at the little, solid, object… 

That is shaped very suspiciously like a… ring.

( _ When you come back, give it to Kaya. _ )

The implications hit him like the sea train, and his face  _ burns _ with embarrassment.

“And here is yours, Kaya-ojou-sama.”

Merry hands the matching ring to Kaya, and she spontaneously combusts with a very troubled and flustered,  _ “Merry!” _

Usopp sputters with equal parts wanting-to-die and god-help-me, but what comes out of his mouth is a “MEERRRYYY” with lots of ugly tears.

Because did Merry just give his approval for their relationship? Because holy  _ crap _ this did  _ not  _ happen in as epic a way last time. Usopp is _ Freaking out _ .

Merry’s heirloom ring. _ It’s Merry’s heirloom ringsss!?!? _

Behind them, Nami makes an excited squealing noise with-- Kaya’s mom, what are you doing there? Why are you two being excited together? When did you two get so close?? Stop looking like a pair of fangirls! Go away!

In a corner, Luffy and the Vegetable Trio are discussing the mysteries of the birds and the bees which they haven’t yet learned from their parents. Ninjin thinks it has something to do with potatoes. Luffy thinks it has something to do with bananas. They seriously don’t know. 

Kinoko gives her own bird-language input, not understanding humans but liking her new leg bangle, apparently.

And in another corner, Zoro and Kaya’s dad are having a daytime drink. What the fuck.

God, they’re all hopeless. Usopp wants to die.

-

If Usopp gives Kaya a kiss on the cheek before leaving, let’s just say he ignored that Den Den Mushi flashing the corner. 

Their departure from Syrup is much more homely this time, and Usopp doesn’t hate it at all.


	12. on the Merry, onward to Baratie.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Usopp keeps messing with Nami, Zoro is tired of things not making sense, and Luffy can't win rock-paper-scissors against the goddamn bird.
> 
> ...not necessarily in that order.
> 
> But hey, on the bright side, they've made it to the restaurant.

“Right. To do this all again without the dramatics,” Usopp starts with a bow. “My name is Usopp, I’m a liar, a sharpshooter, and a brave warrior-- or at least, that’s what I intend to become-- I’m glad to be on board!”

Nami smiles from where she sits. Zoro hums from his position on the bow, one eye opened with mild interest.

“So you  _ did _ end up joining after all,” he says.

Nami reckons that Zoro is feeling very much like how Nami used to feel. Exasperated. On cue, Zoro throws his hands into the air and looks around the ship, probably trying to decide which corner on the Merry is the most out of the way of the madness.

“Zoro, we’re cracking some ale, so don’t run off just yet.”

“I’m not running, I just don’t want to share.”

“HEY”

-

Kinoko caws. 

Usopp glares at her, “you’re a bird. You can’t drink.” 

Kinoko caws louder.

“Okay fine,” Usopp reaches for Kinoko’s drinking dish.

-

“And this will be our pirate flag!” Luffy proudly declares, raising his monstrosity of a painting into the air. How he got himself covered in so much paint, Nami will never know.

She sighs, and Zoro’s just baffled. 

Luffy is proud of it though, and it’s endearing. But this is beyond the design aspect and just ‘you can’t draw, captain’. So Nami tells him, “you suck at this, Luffy.”

“In a way, it strikes terror,” Zoro says, and Nami isn’t sure if he’s being sarcastic or just trying his hardest to be kind of nice.

Usopp hums, “I don’t know, it looks good to me.”

“You can’t be serious, Usopp, that looks so abstract it makes Picasso a joke,” Nami says, mildly horrified. _ Seriously, what’s wrong with this guy? _ Does he miss Luffy so much he just wants to spoil him now? 

No way is she going to have that disaster as a jolly roger, no matter how much she loves Luffy. Seriously, one look at that and they’ll be a laughingstock.

Wait. 

_ Wait _ .

She immediately swirls her fist toward Usopp. The marksman dodges it with ease, and Zoro leaps back in surprise. 

“Stop messing with me like that!” she snaps, “and don’t dodge, dammit!”

Usopp laughs. This asshole has the gall to laugh. Nami wants to punch him to kingdom come, but he just keeps dodging, dammit.

“What’s wrong with the flag?” Luffy whines, a little offended.

Nami sighs. “We’ll go with that design, Luffy. But how about we leave the painting to Usopp?” 

“Ah, yes. Leave the painting to the blind kid. Good idea.”

“Usopp I will  _ strangle _ you if you don’t shut up.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Wait wait wait wait,” Zoro makes his way between them, holding his hands up in a sort of placating gesture before they both start throwing each other into the sea. He turns to Nami first, “what was that?”

Nami blinks. “I will strangle him--”

“Before that.”

“We’ll go with that design?”

“No no, after that.”

“Leave the painting to the blind kid.”

“Yeah, that,” Zoro says, and Nami hums. 

Then Zoro takes a moment to breathe, and Nami can see the exact moment his brain cells curl up and commit suicide in tandem.

Kinoko makes the obligatory ‘caw, caw’ of doom. Did Usopp teach her that?

Zoro swirls on Usopp with a horrified, “you’re  _ what? _ ”

Nami is  _ gratified _ by the way Usopp raises his hands like he’s in front of the police.

Luffy turns to Nami then, “hey Nami what’s brine?” he asks, putting down the disaster jolly roger on the deck. He obviously doesn’t care that Zoro looks like his veins are gonna explode. 

“Well Luffy, being blind means that you can’t see anything,” Nami explains very patiently, “and Usopp is that.”

Luffy hums. He waits a beat.

Then, “WHAT?!?”

-

“Wait but this doesn’t make any sense!” Zoro yells, he’s been agonizing about this for hours now, “you can literally walk everywhere without hitting yourself!”

Right on cue, Usopp nails his toe against the edge of the table, and he doubles over in pain.

Zoro stares incredulously at it for a moment. “I stand corrected.”

“I’m trying to remember where everything is OKAY”

“...Why don’t you just wear shoes?”

“Ah right, that’s a good idea.”

“Alright but really, how did we not notice?” Zoro says, “wait, how did you know my hair’s green?”

“I’m blind, not colour-blind,” Usopp vaguely explains, “I can see colours, but everything else is too blurry to make out.”

Zoro pauses. “Right.”

“You don’t know the difference do you?”

Zoro dodges the question, because when he doesn’t want to know things, he doesn’t want to know. “Wait, how did you notice Nami’s metal arm if she didn’t have it before?”

That’s a good question. Usopp actually thinks for a bit before he reaches the same conclusion as Nami, says fuck to the world, and delves into knowledge he isn’t supposed to know yet.

“That’s actually a thing called Haki. You'll need it to survive the Grand Line. Wanna learn?”

Zoro stares at Usopp for a while.

“Oh, not this shit again.” Zoro throws his hands into the air and escapes.

Usopp is silent for a baffled moment. What’s up with  _ him _ ?

Usopp turns to Nami, because obviously that’s Nami’s fault. He doesn’t manage to get a question in edgewise, though. He doesn’t know if he wants to ask.

In the distance, Zoro yells, “I’m not paying you a million beri to train me, witch!”

Usopp sighs. Of course.

“Fix this, Nami. They need to learn it eventually.”

“No.”

-

* * *

-

They left the painting job to everyone except Luffy. Once they drew in the lines (mostly Nami with her expert measuring and charting skills), they just needed to paint it in. 

With a little help from Kinoko and his general experience in painting tons of Strawhat flags, Usopp was able to contribute some.

Altogether, it's a group effort this time. Even Zoro helped to fill in the whites.

“I’m a little sad that I won’t be able to see it,” Usopp says as they all lay around the finished black flag in exhaustion. “I can kind of tell where people are, I can feel where furniture is-- but paintings can’t be felt.”

Nami looks at the flag under them, and she feels only an indescribable melancholy.

It’s their flag, and finally, they can fly it again. Yet, Usopp can’t see it, he can only imagine its shape, in those foggy, blotchy colours that are only getting dimmer as the years go by.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to see it one day, Usopp,” she says. She promises. 

( _ I'll figure something out. _ )

-

“Usopp, Ennosuke is cheating!”

“Luffy, she’s a bird. She can literally only use scissors. How on earth are you losing?"

-

By the second morning, Kinoko had made herself a nest on the little, specially-made platform at the crow’s nest. Usopp makes a little sign that says ‘Kinoko’s House’ and nails it above the nest on the flagpole.

Usopp finds Kinoko snoring on Zoro’s head one day, when the swordsman was asleep, and he sort of feels jealous.

-

Usopp’s hammock is always the lower one, because apparently, after finding out that he’s blind, they don’t trust him to get himself anywhere higher than the ground. Usopp reckons they’re lying when he wins the couch very often.

And when they kick something a little to the side, they make sure to put it back as close as they can. 

(Usopp will definitely notice it later, though.)

-

Usopp is told to wear his boots on the ship to avoid splinters, but more often than not, he takes them off. It’s easier to feel his way around when he’s not wearing shoes, and he already knows which planks in the ship have a slightly different texture. 

It’s probably from a different tree, he says. Luffy doesn’t get it.

It’s a rule on the ship to always make sure nothing dangerous is on the floor, (Usopp kicked the dumbbells once and Nami screwed Zoro a brain surgery) and Nami nails in all the loose planks she can find.

-

Luffy claims the figurehead as his favourite spot, and he runs around the ship two times an hour. Zoro sleeps either at the top or the bottom of the staircase, and people usually just avoid his feet as they pass.

-

Nami’s room is always the luxurious girl’s room, which is nice, but doesn’t really suit her needs now. It’s spacious, so she first shoves aside some things, and makes herself a workshop she can share with Usopp. 

Last time around, Usopp’s workshop was a little platform in the galley-lounge-helm that had to be put away when it was time for lunch. Sanji always said it wasn’t too sanitary to make food in a place that stank of oil and gunpowder, so the mostly-empty girl’s room should be fine.

Let’s say Usopp is totally lost in the machinations of her arm, and the first time she took it apart to maintain it, Usopp was desperate to know every single detail of the design so he’d know how to upgrade it.

-

Luffy wakes up in the middle of the night to go to the loo.

Usopp is sitting by the edge, Kinoko by his side as he watches the sea, humming softly in the night. He’s blind, so he doesn’t take night watches. He just likes to feel the sea.

Nami walks over with two cups of what smells like hot chocolate. Handing one to the boy, they talk in soft tones, leaning shoulder to shoulder and enjoying the contact.

Luffy can’t hear what they’re saying, but their smiles are gentle and their laughter is light-- it’s a nice contrast to the dark circles that sag their eyes.

Luffy smiles.

He doesn’t understand anything about them, but together, they’re at least not alone.

And Luffy likes it when they’re happy.

-

* * *

-

“I forgot to ask, Nami,” Usopp speaks up during lunch, “you joined the Whitebeards, right? Did you get the mark on you?”

Nami was busy serving another roast of meat for Luffy, but she does answer him over her shoulder. “Yeah I did, Oyaji insisted. It’s on my back.”

Usopp inhaled another forkful of his food with a hum. “Like Fire Fist, or like Phoenix?” he asks, and Nami doesn’t miss the way Zoro’s eyebrows raise. 

Nami reckons he recognizes those names. 

If Zoro knows Whitebeard, he would definitely know Phoenix. Luffy though, is more interested in the meat she’s frying. She swats his hand away, because uncooked meat can be lethal, and she’s not risking it even if it’s Luffy.

“Like Phoenix,” she answers, “cross and crescent.” 

Usopp hums, trying to imagine that, “what about the shark?” 

_...Shark? _

She serves Luffy his food and sits down. “Removed it a few years back. I’m waiting for inspiration on what to cover it with.”

Zoro, seemingly done with his food, takes a good look at the ugly scar on Nami’s left shoulder. “You sure have a lot of tattoos for a girl.”

“My sister’s got a bigger one,” she responds, and Zoro chokes on his drink. “Comes with being in this world, y’know? Pirates everywhere. You need to be tough to survive, and one good way to look the part is to get a tattoo to show for it.”

“What are you, a family of yakuza?”

Nami grins, “yeah, the worst kind.”

“Nami, stop teasing him,” Usopp sighs. “How did you get to the Grand Line, anyways? You're not telling me you sailed Reverse Mountain on your own.”

“I snuck on a Marine ship,” Nami tells him, enjoying the way Usopp and Zoro choke in unison. “It was nice being a cabin boy for a while.”

“That’s reckless,” Usopp mumbles. “Wait, boy?”

“No sane Marine takes in a cabin  _ girl _ to the Grand Line, Usopp.”

“Right. You have a point. But seriously?”

“I have a fucking metal arm, Usopp. They don’t even think a girl’s got enough guts to get one, so obviously it went over easy.”

“I deeply apologize for doubting your  _ manliness _ , stop grinding my foot please-- ow ow ow OW NAMI STOP I’M SORRY”

Zoro escapes the chaos, going over to the sink and volunteering for dishwashing duty so he won’t get caught up in the conversation.

Nami as a man, huh… that certainly fits. Zoro knows very well about the absolutely irritating sexism in sea work, so it’s impressive that Nami’s a Grand Liner with as much experience as she boasts. Luffy lucked out with this navigator.

...Wait, where did Luffy go?

**_BOOM!_ **

...ah.

-

“Stop biting me, Ennosuke!” Luffy whines, fighting with the bird, who’s furiously pecking at his face. It managed to grab his cheek and pull it too far away.

Usopp stretches out his Observation. No enemies, but it’s too noisy for him to ascertain anything new on the deck.

From the explosion, though, “Luffy, why did you bring the cannon out?”

“I just wanted to test the cannon!” Luffy explains, swatting at the bird with a little Gomu Gomu pistol. He knocks the bird on the head and the bird attacks again. “Hey hey Usopp, try aiming for that rock!”

Usopp stares at him blankly. Did Luffy forget he’s blind, again?

“It’s a waste of ammo, so no,” Usopp says first. He doesn’t even know where the rock is. What rock, even? “I installed those cannons myself, Luffy, I assure you, they work.”

Luffy whines.

“What’s the ruckus about?” Nami asks.

“Luffy wants to blow up a rock,” Usopp supplies.

“What rock? Where?” 

“I don’t know Nami, do I look like I can see where it is?”

“Shut up, Usopp.”

Nami makes her way over, followed by Zoro. They gather around the cannon, and Nami leads Usopp by the collar into the direction of the rock.

Luffy is still fighting with the bird. Expletives are spilling and Zoro is grimacing.

“How do you usually aim?” Nami asks, “you’re a sniper, you’re not telling me you can’t aim at all, right?” 

In fact, Usopp aimed at the Black Cat’s jolly roger just fine. He definitely has a way to do things, even when he’s blind. The greatest sharpshooter in the world isn’t chained down by something like sight.

“I can aim at living things with Haki,” Usopp says, and no one misses the way Zoro turns over with attention. He doesn’t want to pay Nami for lessons, so he’s going to scoop any random information by eavesdropping. “For non-living things, I ask Kinoko.”

But the bird in question is too busy trying to chew on rubber.

“Ah, right. She’s your seeing-eye bird,” Nami recalls. She had wondered what a seeing-eye bird was, it’s probably Usopp’s illogical rendition of the dog version. “It’s at one o’clock. Angle at thirty five, about three Merries away.”

“Don’t measure things in Merries, what the hell,” Usopp says, but he’s already moving to adjust the cannon. 

He reaches for a match to light the wick-- then he goes still. 

“Wait. Uh, no. We can’t shoot that,” he says, and the other three give him weird looks. Usopp groans and throws his hands in the air in exasperation. “Haki, Nami.  _ Haki _ .”

“Lord, how far’s your range? I can’t sense a-- oh.” Nami turns over there and she facepalms. “Zoro, turn the helm, let’s go to the rock.”

“What? Why?? I wanna shoot it!”

“There are people on it, Luffy. Let’s shoot it after we save them.”

-

* * *

-

“Usopp, could you go get the limes?” Nami says.

Usopp hums. “Where are they?”

“In the cabin, it's in one of the barrels, you’ll see it.”

“Okay.”

A second later, Nami swirls around and socks Usopp in the gut. 

Johnny shrieks, jumping to Zoro for cover. Luffy goes to get the limes, because he has survival instincts, unlike Usopp apparently.

“Stop doing that.”

“Stop... falling... for it,” Usopp suffers on the ground for a while, and everyone just watches because really, the idiot deserves it. 

Johnny looks rightfully scared shitless. No one is going to explain to him for a while, because for now, all he needs to know is that Nami is scary.

Luffy is pouring another gallon of lime juice into Yosaku’s mouth, because he’s not interested in anything over there.

Usopp makes a soft strangled noise, “...did you have to hit me with your right arm?”

“Yes!”

-

Both Nami and Usopp have significantly longer hair this time around than last time starting off. 

Usopp’s hair, ever the curly mess, is tied back in a similar fashion to his post-Boyn look. It’s not as easy to cut his own hair this time, and Merry didn’t always have the time.

Nami’s hair is about as long as Robin’s hair used to be, but Nami’s hair is wavy and light, so it offers an entirely different image. She’ll probably leave it to grow a little more.

Their clothes haven’t changed as much. 

Nami wears a proper shirt unless the day’s really hot out, simply because the Whitebeard mark attracts too much attention in the East. That with boots to hide her foot prosthetic, and she wears one glove on her metal arm. 

For Usopp, it’s just easier to wear a pair of overalls than it is to coordinate a set of clothing. He’s rarely seen with shoes.

Small changes.

-

“Yes, Zoro, for the last time-- yes,you can ask me questions. I’m not gonna charge you for it, I’m not Nami.”

Zoro stares at Usopp skeptically. Any friend of that witch can  _ not _ possibly be trustworthy, but Usopp seems pretty genuine at least in heart. 

(Or at least that’s what Zoro wants to think.)

So Zoro swallows his skepticism for a while. “Is Haki different for everyone? Cause you use it really differently to how Nami uses hers.”

Usopp hums, seeming to think for a while. “It’s not exactly different for everyone-- there’s just more than one form of it.”

Zoro raises an eyebrow. “Like how Nami can make her weapon black and she can use it without a weapon too?”

Usopp’s face scrunches up in a way that means Zoro isn’t wrong, but isn’t right either.

“I think we need to start from a little further back in the basics,” Usopp says. “It’s all a manifestation of willpower, so it depends on how you train it and what your innate talent for it is. People usually focus on just one of them.”

Willpower. 

Zoro’s hearing that a lot from them, so he that’s definitely the core of the ability. Does this mean meditation and determination and all that?

Usopp flexes an arm, tightens the fist-- and to Zoro’s shock, it turns a sheer metallic black.  _ They can make their fist black too? Not just weapons? _

“This is Armament Haki. It’s like armor, and Nami’s better at this than I am. It’s possible to use it without the colour, but the colour’s the advanced level of it.” 

_ So the metallic sheen is basically the level two? _ Zoro has the urge to touch it, but it quickly turns back into skin.

As if on cue, Kinoko flies in, and lands on the wrist right as Usopp’s arm lifts.

Zoro’s eyes widened. The bird had been coming from behind Usopp-- yet it’s as if Usopp  _ knew _ she was coming, and just waited. 

“Another form of it, the form I excel at, is Observation Haki,” Usopp says. “It’s why I can always see where you guys are and how far away anyone is, even when I’m blind.”

Oh.

(Oh, that makes sense.)

“Fuck,” Zoro says, putting a hand on his sword. “So if you  _ weren’t _ blind-- you’re telling me it’d be stronger?”

Heck, Usopp could tell that two people were on the rock a mile away, hidden from view. And that’s while his vision is critically impaired? 

Usopp smiles, and it’s not a nice smile. It’s a sad, knowing smile, and Zoro hates that look. He hates it with a passion and he’d punch Usopp to get rid of it.

Usopp doesn’t answer him.

And that’s an answer in itself.

-

“Nami fights better without Haki anyways.”

“What?!”

-

“With the scurvy issue in mind, we need a proper cook,” Nami says. “Usopp and I have decent sailing knowledge, but the rest of you are lost causes, I swear.”

“Well, if that’s what you’re looking for, there’s a place that’s teeming with strong cooks,” Yosaku says. “Usopp-aniki might die though.”

Everyone turns to Usopp.

“I have… history with the owner,” he throws into the air, and Nami laughs. Usopp stares at the bounty hunter duo. “Wait, how did you guys know that?”

“See! I’m not the only one that got surprising new connections!” Nami laughs.

-

* * *

-

“I’m a Lieutenant of the Marine Headquarters, known as the ‘Ironfist’, Fullbody.”

_ Sir your introduction is too long. You lost me at ‘Marine’, what’s your name again?  _

Usopp casually makes his way down the rope ladder, taking a little more time because Zoro gets angry when he skips too many steps.

“I'm Luffy! We just made our flag the day before yesterday!”

Usopp hums as he makes his way around the deck, picking up pieces of what sounds like bounty posters with Kinoko’s little caw signals. Oh, right, they should drop the anchor, too. Busy, busy.

“God dammit that kid over there! Stop ignoring me!” Lieutenant Furby yells.

Usopp pauses, looks in the general direction of the sound… then he tilts his head to the side, putting a hand at his ear in a  _ ‘did you say something?’ _ gesture.

“I said!” Lieutenant Furby raises his voice, “DON’T IGNORE ME!”

Usopp blinks. “Sorry sir, I can’t hear you. I’m blind," he informs. 

Nami has been laughing for a solid two minutes now, and Zoro has gone below deck to lower the anchor. Luffy is still trying to size the Lieutenant up, and the two bounty hunters were probably staring in panic.

“Ah, right, okay then,” Furby says, his voice laced with fury. “HEY! Sink them!” 

Luffy gawks. 

**_“Gomu-Gomu no: Balloon!"_ **

“Luffy, look, there’s meat at three-o’clock.”

Still inflated, Luffy rapidly spins to the right--  _ (there’s MEAT?!) _

And the cannonball sinks into his balloon belly, bouncing right back onto the Marine ship, shattering the Mizzen mast, which crashes into the Main mast, and in a domino of panic, chaos occurs.

Luffy swirls on Usopp, deflating in annoyance, “there’s no meat in that direction!” he accuses.

“Sorry Luffy, I meant nine-o’clock,” Usopp says unapologetically, handing the papers back to Johnny. 

Usopp is an expert marksman. He knows how to aim any sort of gun, even if the gun is his captain that ate a rubber-rubber fruit and has a shitty inconsistent aiming system.

-

* * *

-

“I told you, sir. I am not a waiter, I am the sous chef. I’m simply filling in for the waiter that jumped ship last week.”

Ah, ah, what a marvel to walk into.

Lieutenant Furby, held up by the skull, bleeding enough for two people yet the floors are miraculously still clean from blood. They’ll need to clean the floors from the soup remains and broken dishes, though.

Johnny and Yosaku were left to watch the Merry, and the rest of them walked into the restaurant for a meal and a recruitment.

Sanji really knows how to make a great impression, doesn’t he?

“HEY SANJI! What're you doing to the customer?!”

Nami sighs. This is such a familiar sight, it probably already goes without saying that this Sanji isn’t her Sanji. Usopp would know.

_ Hm? The floors are strange _ . There’s just one thin line of a different textured floor, is that the waiter’s pathway? _ That wasn’t there the last time… _

Kinoko flies into the restaurant, and Nami mildly panics.  _ Birds shouldn’t fly into a food establishment without permission!  _ It’s hardly sanitary, and they’ll just give the owners a reason to be annoyed.

And to her upbeat  _ horror _ , Kinoko smacks body-hug facefirst right into Sanji’s face, and Sanji lets out the most startled shriek in the history of Sanji.

All eyes are on the bird, who crawls onto Sanji’s head and then settles in like she just belongs there. Sanji’s face is red and full of feathers, and he looks minutes away from cooking bird stew right there.

She should probably step in with an apology (Sanji would definitely forgive it if it’s her, right?) but Usopp is already walking forward.

Before anyone notices, Usopp retrieves the Lieutenant’s body from Sanji’s hand, and sets it on the ground by his feet. 

“It’s dangerous to leave the glass and wood around, so clean that up, okay?”

The two chefs swirl on him so fast, Nami might’ve heard the cracks if she was closer.

“Ack, Usopp?! You shitty waiter!” Sanji explodes. He turns to the bird, “Shitty bird, get off of my head! And you!” he turns to Usopp, “you run off last week and then have the crap to come waltzing back in?!”

“I’m a pirate now, so it’s just for a while,” Usopp answers, “c’mon guys, Chef Zeff is gonna be angry at us. We’re backed up on orders, so I’ll send Lieutenant Furby out.”

And then he turns around and makes his way out of the restaurant, lugging Lieutenant Fullbody out like he was a sack of trash.

“Lieutenant Furby,” Nami mutters, “seriously?” 

Everyone just stares, flabbergasted.

Patty grinds his teeth, “don’t think this is over, Sanji!” he says, pointing angrily. “Hey! Someone get the crappy broom out here!”

Magnificently diffused.  _ Usopp’s incredible, _ Nami thinks.

As expected from someone that was a waiter in this hellhole, Usopp’s completely over his cowardly phase now.

(Nami’s a little... sad.)

They’ve graduated from the coward trio, officially-- and this is the striking proof of it all. Even after two years in Boyn, that never happened-- of course it’d happen now, after all they’ve been through.

Cowards don’t live long in the Grand Line, after all, and Usopp had to change for it.

(Isn’t here any way they could go back to those fun, fun feelings?)

-

“Lieutenant! Lieutenant? LIEUTENANT?!”

The poor soldier literally walks in to see his superior getting lugged away in a bloody mess. Oh, how traumatising.

“What’s wrong?” Usopp asks him nonchalantly, as if he wasn't lugging a bloody human around.

“Ah! Oh no, we need the lieutenant! What happened to him! The pirate we captured and kept on board is--”

Usopp sensed the marine ship out there in jeopardy for a while, but he’s only just noticed the little, weak presence coming forth.

A gunshot.

The marine soldier falls.

The entire restaurant stops working, horrified. Staggering in his steps, a man walks in the doors, covered in blood and holding a gun in his hands.

Usopp smiles, entirely unfazed. “Welcome to the Baratie, dear customer,” he greets, “please, take a seat, and I’ll be with you shortly.”

Chatters broke out. What is that waiter  _ doing _ ?! Is he suicidal? Oh god.

Usopp smiles. Gin only takes one look at him, and continues walking in. Usopp deposits the marine lieutenant and soldier on their ship, and quickly comes back in. But oh, someone's there before him.

“Welcome, you squid-faced bastard!” Patty grins in his sarcastic, asshole way, “pardon me, you bastard, but do you have enough money on you?”

Gin’s obviously reaching the end of his patience, and he lifts his gun. “Do you guys take lead?”

Patty raises his fists. Usopp dashes forward.

The one sent flying isn’t Gin, but Patty. Usopp swirls and kicks him in the gut, and he doubles over with a howl.

Gin looks up, eyes wide with surprise.

The entire restaurant is looking at him like he’d grown another head.

“You crappy waiter! What’s the meaning of this?!” Patty yells. “This is a paying restaurant! We don’t serve anyone that comes to look for trouble and can’t pay!”

He falters immediately when he catches Usopp’s gaze.

“I’ve told you before, Patty. When I’m here, the floor is  _ my _ territory.” Usopp warns, letting the anger boil out of him into a fierce glare. “Now get back in the kitchen.”

-

“You say pretty things, but you’re just going to kick me out too, aren’t you?” Gin grumbles when Usopp leads him out to the balcony. 

Usopp sighs, “we’re really sorry about Patty. We don’t discriminate here, but well, he got put in a bad mood apparently.”

“Screw the apologies, I just want food.”

“Don’t be so cranky.”

“I’ll  _ show you  _ cranky if you don’t give me food now!”

The door opens behind them, effectively saving Usopp from immediate death by bullet. Sanji steps out with a hum, a cigarette in his mouth and holding a plate of fried rice.

“Food for the hungry sir?” he asks rhetorically. 

He drops the plate on the ground, along with a cup of water. Then he goes over and boxes Usopp over the head.

“Can you not do shitty dumb things?” he chides, “you know you’ll get in trouble for that, right? Patty holds grudges.”

Usopp grins, “and yet, you still made the food.”

“Shut up.”

Gin stares at the plate, skeptical. 

“What, you gonna say your pride’s in the way this time?” Sanji says, sitting down by the railing and taking a drag of his cigarette, “eat already. You’re hungry, right?”

"N-No, nothing of the sort. Just--" Gin gulps. “Just-- I'm sorry. Thank you… for the food.”

Usopp walks back into the restaurant after that, because he knows his captain can take it from here.


	13. the Greatest Swordsmen.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy annoys the heck out of Sanji. 
> 
> Some things change, but other things are dragged back onto the course of fate, simply because history doesn't like to be altered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiii guys ♡♡♡ ah goodness I love you guys so much??? thanks for all the support and the reviews T^T they make me so happy esp with all the shit going on irl now. bless y'all. have this superlong chapter and I hope you enjoy! ♡
> 
> Just a question-- I mentioned that we were gonna have more strawhats added to the mix, but, **who would you really want or not want to join?** It's okay to answer honestly, because I might still go with my original plan either way. I just want to know the general opinion.

**_(“I can’t cook anymore, Nami-san. Not with these hands.”)_ **

**_(“Think of what happened to Franky. At the rate I’m changing, they’re going to find something interesting in me, too. And it’s not going to be as pretty.”)_ **

-

* * *

-

Nami watches Sanji pour the champagne into her glass.

“Good evening, oh lovely mademoiselle,” and though the words are so sweet, it brings tears to her eyes. “How may we serve you and your… slightly less than stellar company today?”

“Meat! I want Meat!” 

“Sake.”

“I didn’t ask  _ you _ shitty bastards! And don’t come into a restaurant and order sake!” Sanji snaps, then swirls back into his deep tenor for the lady of the table, “pardon me, milady.”

Nami smiles, leaning into the back of her hand in a seductive way. “I apologize for my Captain and his companion. They’re _ terrible _ , aren’t they?”

“Oh no no, I could never fault such a lady for these brutes,” Sanji says, “in fact, I might have to apologize for subjecting you to a meal on the same table as they. Would a meal on the house suit your fancy?"

Nami barely squashes the mirth in her heart. Of course he misses the code. Why did she even try when she knew he wasn’t her Sanji?

“It would be lovely, thank you,” Nami says, in her flirting manner, because as much as she doesn’t like to indulge in Sanji’s swooning, he deserves it at least. “Would it be too much trouble to request for a meal specially prepared by the sous chef?”

One thing she loved about Sanji was the fact that he loved all ladies equally. No manner if they were the enemy’s elite, they had three eyes, or if they had a metal arm.

It made her feel genuinely pretty for the first time in a long, long while.

-

“You little blind BRAT! How dare you come scurrying back in here!”

“Good morning, Chef Zeff! Would you like a seat or shall I clear the staff table for you?”

“Stop treating me like a customer you little SHIT!”

-

“Oh? Usopp’s serving us the food?” Zoro says.

Usopp sets down the mountain of plates before Luffy first, then it goes to Zoro. Sanji personally serves Nami’s meals, because he’s extra like that.

Kinoko is asleep in a little nest by the main mast of the Baratie. It’s her bed when they stay here, and people mainly just treat her like decoration that needs to be fed.

Princess life, basically. 

(Though Sanji always threatens to make a good bird stew out of her.)

“I used to work here, up until a couple weeks,” Usopp says, “they never have any waiters in here cause Sanji keeps beating up people.”

“You talk like you’re any better!” Sanji snarks. “You brained a dude with your tray last time when he started going on a drunken craze.”

“It was an accident,” Usopp emphasizes in a way that indicates it was absolutely  _ not _ an accident, looking absolutely innocent. “Don’t blame the blind kid when someone gets too close, y’know?”

“Yeah, right.”

Zoro hums amusedly, sending a foot to Luffy’s face when he stole a chunk of meat, “HEY LUFFY THAT WAS MINE!” before proceeding to strangle the captain. He tugs at Luffy’s face, taking care to avoid Nami’s plate.

“You two get along well,” Nami says, “been working together for long?”

“No, not at all,” Usopp and Sanji say in unison. And in perfect synchronisation, they swirl to each other, and yell, “you liar, I’ve/you’ve been here for two years, of course that’s a long time! Then why’re you lying? Stop copying me!”

Nami bursts into laughter. 

The scene has caught the attention of the other patrons as well, and though some look annoyed, the regulars look accustomed to Usopp and Sanji’s usual bickering.

“HEY! Sanji, Usopp! Get back in here and DO YOUR JOBS!”

“Shut up, crap-cook!” 

“I quit last week, don’t order me around!”

“You’re a fucking oxymoron, Usopp!” 

“How do you even know what the word means?!”

Zoro, finally settling back into his seat, makes sure to eat away from the table this time. “So? How long are you gonna be wearing that apron? You gonna quit and become a waiter?”

“Don’t even joke about that,” Usopp says, casually slamming his tray into Luffy’s fingers (he shrieks) when it comes too close to the plate he’s holding. He sits down and starts eating, “we’re going to be here for a while so Luffy can recruit our cook, so I might as well, right? They’re understaffed.”

Luffy inhales the rest of his plate, and huffs, satisfied. “That was good!” he says. 

Sanji’s brows raised. 

“You guys are here to recruit?” he straightens, subconsciously moving a little away from the table. He sighs and looks away. “Well, good luck getting any of those morons in the kitchen, they’re shitty.”

Nami leans over the table, setting down her cutlery. “Oh?” she swoons, “aren’t you an option as well, pretty boy?”

Sanji laughs, “unfortunately, miss--” he pauses. Zoro and Luffy are both looking at him, dead serious. He gulps.  _ Oh, they’re not joking. _

So he composes himself.

“Unfortunately, there’s something I have to do. I can’t leave this restaurant,” Sanji says. 

Nami looks up at him, “no matter what?” she asks, in that sultry tone that definitely means you’ve lost your wallet. “Even if I’m here?”

Sanji falters with a very visible arrow to the heart.

“I- It  _ devastates _ me, but I must refuse.”

Usopp takes another bite of his food before handing it off to Luffy, who finished it instantly. 

“Oh, it’s that bad to stay here?”

All movement in the restaurant freezes. 

Sanji jolts to a stop, straightening immediately. Behind them, Chef Zeff crosses his arms.

“Why don’t you make like a squirrel and scram, you fucking eggplant,” Zeff says, “you don’t need to be here. Take a page out of the blind brat’s example and get out of here.”

What happens next can be summed up as a fight that’s as ugly as it can get. 

Zeff swings Sanji into a table, a lot of yelling and cursing goes on, and the customers watch, mildly amused and yet so horrified.

Usopp sighs.

-

* * *

-

They spend more days on the Sea Restaurant, Luffy chasing Sanji around every few minutes just to piss him the hell off. 

Meanwhile, the Strawhats find other things to occupy themselves with.

Usopp works on the Baratie whenever he feels like it, and spends the rest of his time on the ship, either working out with the boys or tinkering on a new device.

Kinoko spends her time sleeping like the bird she is, though Usopp occasionally asks her over to the ship to fit some weird metal contraption on her feet or wings. 

Zoro broke out the dumbbells, and the three bounty hunters spend most of their time working out a sweat trying to get stronger. 

-

“What, you joining us today, Nami?” Zoro says.

Nami walks out of the galley wearing a tank top and easy-to-move-in shorts.

“I might as well. I need more muscle to live with this arm,” she scoops up a dumbbell from the ground with her metal arm.

“What? Nami-aneki? No way!” Johnny says, getting up from his plank. 

“Actually, I have a feeling Nami-aneki would be better than us at this…” Yosaku mumbles, suffering on the ground.

Nami quickly transfers the dumbbell from her metal arm to her flesh arm. 

“Don’t you have a heavier one?” she ignores the two in favour of Zoro, who’s doing hand-stand push-ups, “this is only about as heavy as my old arm.”

“Your arm is as heavy as a--”

“My old one,” she clarifies for them, “of course it’s lighter now, this is Grand Line tech. But this dumbbell isn’t heavy at all. Zoro?”

Zoro straightens, and breathes out. “Second one to your left,” he says, then he resumes his workout. “The lighter ones are for Johnny and Yosaku.”

Nami puts the weight down, and reaches for the other. It’s a little thicker, but it’s about the same size as the other one--  _ holy crap. _

Nami stumbles, then she uses both arms to heft it to her hip. Then she stares at Zoro with a horrified expression.

“You’re kidding.  _ This _ is what you usually crank? Are you a bloody gorilla?”

“I’m thinking of adding more later.”

“And you’re calling  _ us  _ insane…”

But seriously? She was looking forward to impressing Zoro with her strength this time, only to find out Zoro’s leagues above even in his weaker state? You’re kidding.

_ Once a Monster Trio, always a Monster Trio _ , Nami thinks mirthfully.

-

“Hey Sanji, join us!”

“No.”

“Hey Saaaanji.”

“I said no.”

“Saaaaaaaaanji!!”

“No!”

-

“So you’re finally setting off, huh?” Zeff says, “you’ve always done just whatever the hell you want, but it’s for real this time?”

They’re in Zeff’s quarters, with the old man sitting by the bed, and Usopp on his knees on the ground. The door closed behind them, the restaurant noisy downstairs.

Zeff does this a lot to his longer workers. 

He’s no sentimental old man and definitely not a trained psychologist, but he’s definitely the oldest man in the building and that has to mean something. 

Something, as in, actually being an adult.

He tugs Sanji in more than most, at first to deal with his guilt complex, then to deal with his inferiority complex, then so on and so forth, this kid is a mess. 

For Usopp, it’s mostly to sort out his memories, his struggles, and his past. Usopp’s gone through legendary feats that would leave even a grown man trembling with years and years of trauma-- and he hasn't even told Zeff everything yet.

Usopp is no strong kid, was no strong man. He’s definitely got a deep scar inside somewhere no one can reach, and Zeff can tell. It’s pretty obvious when you know what to look for, even if he lies well enough to pass it off as childish cowardice. 

“So those kids are the ones you’ve been waiting for,” Zeff says. “Gotta say I expected a grander impression.”

Usopp chuckles, “he blew a hole into your roof, last time around. With a cannonball that the Marines shot at us.”

Zeff makes a groaning noise, “do I want to know?”

“Nope!”

Zeff sighs longsufferingly. 

Usopp runs a hand across Zeff’s logbook, smiling sadly.

“You can take it, you know?” Zeff says. “It’s not much-- but if it can help you, in any way, to prevent what you came back for-- I’d give it away in a heartbeat.”

Usopp’s shaking his head before Zeff was even done speaking.

“It’s helped me far enough,” Usopp says. Plastering on a cheeky grin, “I mean, I can’t even read it. Don’t waste this on a blind boy like me. This logbook stayed here last time-- it’s going to stay here this time too.”

Zeff hums, “you don’t need to read it to know its contents,” he says, but he doesn’t pursue any further. 

Usopp hands the book to Zeff, a sort of finality in the way he presses it into the Chef’s hands.

“From now on, things are going to be harder,” he says. “I’ll need to start working if I really want to change everything. Me and Nami both.”

“And everyone else too,” Zeff reminds him, “you two aren’t alone in this, you know? They may not be the ones you remember, but they’re your comrades all the same. Don’t forget that.”

Usopp pauses a little at that.

Zeff doesn't miss the way Usopp recomposes himself, rethinking-- his mouth drops open, then closes quickly, his fists tightening.

Usopp laughs dryly, “of course I know that.”

Zeff sighs. He doesn’t.

-

“Oh my god! Look, it’s Krieg’s Pirate Ship!” Carne yells.

“What?” Usopp asks, “where?”

“It’s right out there, just look!”

“I’m looking, where is it?”

“It’s literally-- GO AWAY USOPP I FUCKING HATE YOU”

-

Johnny and Yosaku are on the ship with Nami, and Usopp was in here for a lunch break with Zoro. 

Luffy had been chasing Sanji around until the galleon appeared, and Gin came back in carrying a large, weakened man.

The confrontation with Don Krieg went by similarly to last time-- no one wants to feed the man. Sanji wants to feed the man. Angry cooks. Scared customers. Red Leg Zeff and enough food for a hundred people.

“You’re not gonna do anything, Usopp?” Zoro asks. “That’s unusual.”

Usopp busied himself with trying to clean Kinoko’s feathers on his lap. He can’t literally see, but Kinoko is one demanding little bird and she fell into a pile of onion peels yesterday. 

Usopp is just patiently trying, because when Kinoko asked Zoro, the man offered his help in the form of three drawn swords. And Luffy is busy trying to  court convince Sanji to join.

“Nah, I think Chef Zeff has this handled,” Usopp says, “plus, if you get between Sanji and trying to serve hungry people food, you’re gonna be in trouble.”

Zoro hums disinterestedly.

Then he turns toward the growing chaos in the center of the restaurant, “Luffy, you planning to rumble? Need a hand?” he hollers.

The eyes in the restaurant turn to them, and Usopp makes sure to send a scowling look at the crowd, just to keep up the measly intimidation tactic.

“Ah no, I’m fine,” Luffy hollers back, “you two can stay there.”

It’s one simple command, and Zoro stays down. Usopp turns back to Kinoko, fussing the feathers and trying to get that one stubborn peel out of her wing. 

Usopp’s impressed. Zoro’s loyalty to Luffy was really impeccable from start to the end.

-

**_(“I wield my sword for only one man, Momo. You are not that man, so I can never be your subordinate. I can only be your teacher.”)_ **

-

“Nami-aneki is breaking all the barriers of gender,” Johnny mutters, a little jealous.

Nami raises an eyebrow, sorting through their bounty posters while cranking a weight on her flesh arm. “Something wrong with that?”

Yosaku waves his hand in denial.

“No, no, of course not,” he mutters, “it’s just really rare in the East, y’know?”

Nami hums. They’re not wrong. Girls are tough, but more prominently in the Grand Line. Even Tashigi is trying her best and still falls short.

“There’s a reason the East is the weakest,” Nami shrugs. She grins, “but you know one thing us Easterns have much more than everyone else?”

The two look up, curious.

Nami hefts the weight to her shoulder.

“We’re the most stubborn ones!” Nami says, raising a finger. “Only the greediest ones make it all the way up. We come from the bottom, so we see everything on the way. Our journey is longer, stronger, harder and so much more fun than anyone else. Right?”

Johnny and Yosaku pause.

Nami smiles a beautiful, toothy grin at them-- and it’s reminiscent of Luffy’s own. It’s so infectious, they can’t help but smile too.

**_“Purupurupurupurupuru--”_ ** ****

Nami jumps a little in surprise. All eyes turn to the side, where a little Den Den Mushi was crawling its way over to her.

It’s a red snail with a light blue shell, dark blue patterns curling over the curve almost like a heart. 

It’s Nami’s personal Den Den Mushi.

Not minding Johnny and Yosaku (both which have moved a little away to continue their workout with a little more gung-ho this time), Nami picked it up.

**_“Gacha!”_ ** eyes open, and immediately, Nojiko’s frantic voice comes through. **_“Nami? Nami! We’ve got a problem.”_ ** ****

A problem? On Cocoyashi in  _ this _ timeline… oh goodness.

“What kind of problem? The fishy kind or the mousey kind?”

**_“Yes.”_ **

Nami turns to Arlong’s bounty poster. Alright then, if it’s some dumb hooligan that doesn’t recognize the flag of the Sun over the island’s gates, they’re probably new to the sea.

This is going to be ironic.

“Is anyone hurt?” Nami asks.

-

“The man with hawk-like eyes…” Zoro mutters, “that’s the man I’m looking for.”

Luffy looks over from his spot on the table (why are you sitting on the table, Luffy?) and asks, “who’s that?”

“The Greatest Swordsman in the world, right?” Usopp says.

Usopp lets go of Kinoko, who flutters away satisfied.

“You know of him?” Zoro asks. He stares at Usopp for one second before turning away in repulse, “nevermind, don’t answer that. I don’t know why I bothered to ask.”

Usopp smiles. 

“What did you guys do? He can’t have attacked you unprovoked, right?” Sanji turns back to Gin. 

“We don’t know!” Gin snaps. “He just attacked us out of nowhere!”

Zeff sighs, “you probably disturbed his afternoon nap or something,” he says, eyes full of some sort of exasperated understanding. “Happens a lot with that guy.”

“You’ve got to be kidding-- he destroyed our fleet just for that?!”

“No need to get angry-- that’s just the kind of place the Grand Line is.”

Two pairs of eyes turned to Usopp, obviously asking for clarification.

Usopp hums, leaning his chin into folded fingers. “Have I told you guys about the time I fought a super secret agency, against a group of super secret agents?”

“This is not the time for your  _ funny _ storytelling,” Zoro mutters, burying his face in his palm.

“No! Tell me!” Luffy beams.

“Well, Luffy, at the time, my companions were all drunk and exhausted after a long and tiring journey! But there were  _ a hundred _ people against just  _ one _ of me! I could wake up my pals and fight together--  _ but I didn’t _ ,” Usopp makes a dramatic pause, reaching for his Kabuto. “I reached for my weapon-- and I declared--  **I’ll take you all on myself** !”

Luffy’s jaw drops in awe, “WOOAH!! That is SO cool?! One hundred people! Alone?!”

Usopp huffs, “and yes! I defeated them all easily!” 

“So how exactly,” Zoro interrupts with his most emotionally exhausted tone that eerily reminds Usopp of Sanji at 3AM every morning before his coffee, “does this tie in to the man with Hawk Eyes again?”

“You’re such a party pooper, Zoro.” Luffy makes a pouty face at Zoro that makes the swordsman look away.

“The point is,” Usopp emphasizes on a more serious note, “that’s the amount of strength you’ll need to get one island into the Grand Line. Nothing less.”

That.

_ That _ sends silence roaring into the restaurant.

“You’re kidding,” Sanji says. Oh, everyone was listening to the dumb story?

Usopp doesn’t correct him. 

Zoro tightens his grip on his swords. When he speaks again, his voice is lowered and serious. “And the man known as the Hawkeye... is leaps and bounds above it.”

Usopp runs a hand over Kinoko’s feathers. 

“There are a thousand islands on that sea. I reckon that man’s gone at least halfway through it to be what he is,” he says, not at all exaggerating.

To everyone’s surprise and utter horror, Zoro grins.

“So to get on his level, I’ll need the strength to defeat fifty thousand men on my own?” Zoro asks with a smirk.

For a moment, Usopp actually looks like he’s thinking about it.

Then Usopp blurts out, “how are you doing all the math so quickly?” 

“Read the goddamn room--”

-

Zoro doesn’t get to finish his line. Nami charges in from outside, looking fearful and searching frantically around for something-- for the boys.

Usopp frowns at her flustered sound. 

If she’s in such a disarray that she’s forgotten her Haki, then… it must have something to do with either Cocoyashi or the Whitebeards. Something must've gone wrong.

(Crap. The Whitebeards. Did Nami handle  _ that _ yet?)

Usopp’s been in the East for so long, he hasn’t thought about anything over there. There’s a whole chain of events to derail if they want to move Ace’s execution off the mark of history. 

(Wasn’t Nami in the Whitebeards for a while? Then he’s definitely met Blackbeard in the time…)

It’s about time for it, isn’t it? What’s their nearest connection to the problem?  _ Someone that can get there soon  _ _ enough... _

“Nami? Where’s Johnny and Yosaku?” Luffy asks-- there’s no reason for this panic. The Krieg pirates can’t be done eating yet. In the distance, Usopp hears the voices of Johnny and Yosaku working. 

Nami stops before Luffy-- and after a moment of deliberation, she bows her head.

“I’m sorry, Luffy!” she says loud and clear. “I... need to go.”

“...Huh?” 

-

“Johnny, Yosaku, watch the ship!”

“Wait! Nami-aneki, it’s dangerous with that galleon out there!”

The two bounty hunters lurch over the rails in shock. Nami leaps over the bow, landing narrowly on the shore platform of the restaurant before running inside.

**_“Nami? Nami!”_ **

The Den Den Mushi is still on. 

Johnny and Yosaku turn to it. Whatever the case and chaos, leaving the other side in panic is probably not good. So they nod at each other and speak to the person on the other end-- Nojiko, was it? 

“Nami-aneki is safe. She went inside the restaurant,” Johnny says assuringly, “Don Krieg is on his own ship, so she’ll be fine…”

The Den Den sighs. **_“That’s a relief. She’s so reckless,”_ ** the lady on the other end says.  **_“And you are?”_ **

“Johnny and Yosaku. We’re… not from this pirate crew, but we’re guests for now? Something like that. Uh--” 

**_“I’m sure there were better situations we could’ve met, but it’s nice to know you. Is Nami doing well?”_ **

“Ah-- yes. She’s very scary.” Johnny stumbles out an apology for that, but Nojiko just laughs, “uh, Nami’s sister-aneki, about what you said just now… is your hometown really…”

**_“Ah, our hometown’s fine. We’re under the Sun Pirate’s protection. The problem here is…”_ ** Nojiko seems to sigh again, **_“well, let’s just say they gave us a good knocking around while our guards were gone.”_ **

She sighs, and Johnny nods grimly. 

“Yosaku, let’s get the ship sailing,” Johnny decides, “Nami-aneki’s gonna need it more than the others.”

-

“Y’know, I’m a little worried about you going alone,” Usopp says, “how about you take Kinoko with you?”

Nami raises an eyebrow. “What?”

“Kinoko’s a smart girl. Even if she doesn’t come in handy, you can send her back to us if you’re in trouble of any kind,” Usopp says. “And she’s company.”

Nami finds herself with one bird passenger already settled on the ship, ready to leave.

She can’t find a reason to refuse. 

“I’m fine if you insist on it,” she says, because she’s sure Usopp knows how much she hates to travel in sheer lonesomeness, “but isn’t she your seeing-eye bird? Are you fine without?”

Usopp nods. “I have other ways of seeing.”

-

Usopp sighs.

Fate has a way of dragging things right back to the correct route of history, huh?

Nami and Kinoko sets off as quickly as Johnny and Yosaku manage to alight from the ship. They’re giving her the Merry simply because it’s faster, and they’d all catch up to her on Cocoyashi later on.

“Aw man, the pretty lady is gone,” Sanji mutters, “why don’t you guys scram too?”

“No!” Luffy snaps, “you’re gonna join our crew!”

“I said NO, shitty rubber!”

Usopp kicks off his shoes, setting them beside the rails. Zoro turns to him, curious, but Usopp disregards him.

He didn’t even notice Nami rushing into the restaurant until she was there. If he’d been attentive, he should’ve been  _ hearing _ the whole Den Den conversation without trying-- how ignorant has he become, is he truly  _ this _ blind?

He was trying to avoid listening to the pain and the starvation of the Krieg pirates, so he’d shut it all out. But that kind of selective hearing could mean your death in the wrong situations-- and though this isn’t one of them, it still hurt to think of it.

(There is no room for carelessness on the Grand Line. They had that wake-up call in Sabaody, and Usopp’s already learned it. You can’t unlearn these things, so what is Usopp  _ doing _ ?)

“There are a few forms of Observation too,” Usopp tells him, at a volume the two bickering idiots in the corner can’t hear him. “Observation is the ability to see, to hear, to feel. I’ve been disregarding the first two thus far, but it’s wrong to assume the third is superior to the rest.”

Usopp closes his eyes, and spreads out. 

He has to focus. He’s been so obsessed with trying to see with his Haki, he’d forgotten the entire principle of Observation-- to listen, to know, to  _ observe _ . 

(To perceive the bullet a moment before the trigger is pulled.)

Zoro gulps, the tension making him take one step back.

“They’re going to come down in about two minutes,” he says, gesturing at the galleon while his eyes are still closed. “But before that…”

“Before that?” Zeff interrupts. Seems like he’s come out of the restaurant now. 

Usopp stretches a little further, turning toward the galleon. “Raise the anchor. It’s the big man himself.”

There’s barely a second between Usopp’s words and the panicked yells. The galleon is cut into three clean pieces, and the Krieg pirates are screaming in horror. The ship's pieces capsize, throwing the waves into jeopardy--

Zeff bonks Usopp on the head, “next time, say that _ first _ !”

“I was focused on the Merry, okay!”

People struggle to hold on. Customers have run off a while ago, after Krieg's threats of overtaking the restaurant. Only the cooks and the Strawhats, and Gin, are left on the Baratie.

Then from the dredges of the water, seated comfortably on his one-person, coffin-shaped raft-- is the World's Greatest Swordsman, 'Hawkeye' Dracule Mihawk.

“So that’s the guy?” Zoro asks, hands instinctively reaching for his swords.

Even without Haki, Usopp can sense the deep-seated admiration from Zoro beside him. He doesn’t move to stop him, doesn’t move to express any disagreement, even knowing exactly what Zoro was going to do.

“Let’s go give myself a taste of reality, then.”

Zoro jumps over the ledge, and onto the split galleon.

This is the historical first meeting of two of the greatest swordsmen in the world, and Usopp has no right to change this in any way or form.

-

* * *

-

**_Zoro died while Usopp was in captivity, so the last thing Usopp remembered about Zoro was his body, baked in blood, as they ran from Vivi’s execution like a bunch of defeated rats._ **

**_He remembered turning back, horrified to realize Zoro was just too far, too far, he’s not following us, why?_ **

**_Come on Zoro we gotta go this isn’t the time for hesitating let’s go._ **

**_And Zoro raised his sword-- sword, because one of them broke. Which one? It can’t have been Enma. Kitetsu wouldn’t break, would it? Was it Ichimonji?_ **

**_(No no no, go get him, someone go get him!)_ **

**_(Is no one close enough? Go get him! He’s Zoro but he’s-- he’s--)_ **

**_“Usopp, GO!” Zoro’s voice was a little below a scream._ **

**_His voice is hoarse and it's the pain. He’s trying to hide it so hard but they all know he’s suffering they all know he can’t think straight._ **

**_Usopp briefly came to know that he survived and escaped to Wano after that, and nothing else._ **

**_Nothing about the arm he’s missing, because a handicap like that does not disgrace the Greatest Swordsman in the World._ **

**_(_ ** **_Where’s Chopper? Usopp thinks, only to remember a second later that just a moment ago, they all saw that little fella die. He tries not to cry again, this isn’t the time, this isn’t the time.)_ **

~~**_(There will never be a time for them to safely cry again.)_ ** ~~

-

* * *

-

“The World’s Greatest Swordsman versus the Demon of the East…”

The two stand before each other, swords drawn. Mihawk doesn’t think much of Zoro, and Zoro is fueled with anger.

“There’s a limit to how much you can underestimate me,” Zoro grinds out.

Mihawk doesn’t draw Kokutou Yoru. Instead, he uses Kogatana, the little knife in his crucifix-shaped necklace.

Against three swords, it’s nothing short of mockery.

Zoro’s grip on his swords tighten.

( _ “You can even make a branch useful if need be,” _ Nami had said.)

He remembers his younger days, trying to grip too many swords on each hand, thinking more was better and more was stronger. He’d never used a shinai before that, after all.

Then he remembers Kuina, wielding just one beautiful one blade with grace that surpasses a thousand swords in the world.

(Ah.)

(Zoro hasn’t changed at all, has he?)

(He still thinks quantity triumphs quality.)

He throws his swords forward, grace forgotten in the pursuit of power and force and ferocity. He doesn’t knock Mihawk back at all-- three swords against one toy, and still, he’s completely outmatched.

Zoro realizes what he’s feeling right now isn’t confidence.

**_“Toragari!”_ **

(It’s childish arrogance.)

-

“Usopp?” Sanji comes closer, “what’s wrong with you?”

Usopp flinches slightly before noticing who’s before him. He breathes out, suddenly realizing just how stilted his breathing is, how stiff his fists are clenched.

He shakes himself awake.

The smell of blood. Zoro’s shivering voice.

Zoro’s voice doesn’t  _ shiver _ . It’s  **_Zoro_ ** , for god’s sake. The only reason it’d be so weak would be if he’s-- if he’s dying and no, no, Zoro doesn’t die.

Zoro won’t die. Not yet, not for a long time.

(So why is Usopp so scared of it?)

He closes his eyes. And he keeps them closed. Usopp pulls his goggles over his eyes so no one can see him cowering from the sight, from the colours.

From the memory of Zoro  _ dying _ in blood, blood, blood-- no he’s not dead. Zoro won’t die, can’t die, not this time.

(Calm down Usopp, you’re a brave warrior of the sea, aren’t you?)

“Usopp.”

Usopp tenses, realizing his hands are gripped tight over the railings. He doesn’t run, but he knows that voice is Luffy’s. It’s Luffy’s voice, cold and stern and commanding.

“Don’t interfere,” Luffy warns.

Usopp can’t even deny it. He just bites his tongue and turns his head back to the scene. His Haki is still locked on them, because he can’t look away.

“Yes, Captain,” he simply says.

Luffy’s hands are on Johnny and Yosaku’s heads, holding them back. They don’t have the same restraint Usopp has, and Luffy doesn’t want them to interfere.

Zoro would hate for them to interfere.

But Usopp holds on tight. Holds on tight to the remaining wisps of Zoro’s voice, as if holding onto it would make them stay on longer.

-

**_"A person’s life force is like sand."_ **

**_"Clasp it as tightly as you want, but it’ll fall through your fingers eventually."_ **

-

Kokutou Yoru. A sword tainted black with spirit, carved with magnificence, and wielded with impeccable elegance. Zoro would wax poetic about that sword all day, and that Marine Swordsman Girl could sing it a thousand love songs if she wanted to.

Usopp loved the voice of swords almost as much as he loved the voice of ships. 

Yoru’s voice, among them, is a voice he feared, but in a comforting way. Similarly to Marco and his warm, protective wings-- and the giants on Elbaf who have lived decades more than he. 

When he set his Haki’s focus on the sword, Usopp instinctively bowed in greeting.

-

“A wound on the back is a swordsman’s shame.”

Ah, those words. They’re words Usopp has heard once, never forgotten, and lived by as a code. Not the literal meaning of it, but the sheer regality of the phrase, the mere beauty of the moment.

Zoro wasn’t protecting his own pride.

_ (No true swordsman strikes an opponent when his back is turned.) _

He was protecting  **Mihawk’s** .

“Splendid.”

And Mihawk knew that. Bleeding, shamed, and defeated-- Zoro yielded his front to take the blow frontfirst. 

(That’s why, on that day, he was allowed to live.)

Kokutou Yoru comes down, a gash ripping through Zoro’s front, from his left shoulder to his right side. 

**_“ZORO!”_ **

Roronoa Zoro falls to the sea. 

“Yosaku, alcohol!” Usopp orders, “Johnny, you grab Zoro!”

Yosaku, right about to leap into the sea after his sworn brother, does a double take. “Wait, Usopp-aniki! You can’t just jump into the--”

“I’ll get his sword!” Usopp yells, his tone fierce in a way that indicates no questions asked. He jumps into the sea right after that, and Sanji lurches forward in a panic.

“What is that blind idiot doing?!” Sanji yells.

“Leave him,” Zeff says to the bounty hunters, “you two have a boat, don’t you? Set sail and get that suicidal little shit some decent medical attention.”

And he’s right.

There are medical supplies here but no medical professional. They need to get to the nearest island and shove him in a hospital or Zoro's going to die of an infection somehow.

A swear on his lips, Yosaku bites his tongue and turns back toward the restaurant, yelling for anyone that knows where the medical tools are.

-

Johnny comes up with Zoro, and Yosaku lugs him up to the boat. 

A second later, Usopp surfaces with a gasp, Wadou Ichimonji in his hand. It’s a heavy sword, so it was sinking like a rock.

Thank goodness it had a distinctive voice. 

He takes deep breaths. There were a lot of voices under the sea, Krieg’s crew hanging by their threads everywhere. Only Wadou Ichimonji’s voice was strong against the waves. 

Noticing another voice, Usopp reaches to the side, retrieving Luffy’s Straw Hat from the water’s surface.  _ That idiot used rocket without holding onto his hat again... _

Pulling himself up into the fishing boat, Usopp set the sword and hat down, pulling the goggles away from his eyes and finally, finally taking one look at the red and green.

It’s a mess and he can’t even see it.

The agony in Zoro’s voice is loud, loud, loud, and  _ vanishing _ . But not gone. Johnny’s and Yosaku’s voices are a step away from sheer grief. 

Usopp closes his eyes again. He needs to focus and the blotch of colours aren’t helping.

From the smell, the kit is beside him. The faint smell of alcohol through the bottles-- he crouches down, picks one up, and empties it over the wound.

_ Calm down, calm down. Remember what Chopper said about this. If the doctor in charge panics, it’s over for the patient. _

“USOPP! IS ZORO ALRIGHT?!”

Usopp barely catches it.

“NO, HE’S NOT!” he yells, eyes squeezed shut as he opens the medical kit, clicking his fingers, focusing, focusing-- trying to discern what tool is where and which-- “BUT HE’S NOT GOING TO DIE HERE!”

Usopp startles, sensing something approaching. A projectile-- but not a bullet.

He spins around-- and catches… it's Kogatana. Mihawk’s little cross-shaped sword. He stares at it, baffled. Why did this come flying at him?

“Usopp-aniki, that’s--” Johnny notices.

“Keep it, Roronoa Zoro,” Mihawk says, and Usopp’s jaw drops. “Let it serve as a reminder of your conviction. So you will never forget your own inexperience.”

Usopp touches the blade necklace lightly. It’s nothing special-- but this. This is  _ different _ . Startlingly different.

(That has to mean something.)

“Live! Live and surpass me, Roronoa Zoro!”

That declaration bursts with a wave of Haki-- not Conqueror’s, it’s just conviction, it’s just power. Raw, solid power.

Usopp feels the burst firsthand and his breath is knocked away. He sinks a little deeper into his knees, his Observation taking in too much,  _ too much _ .

Zoro’s voice  _ roars _ awake.

Usopp snaps out of it, quickly rushing back towards Zoro. He needs first-aid--  _ c’mon, c’mon, think, think, think! _

Johnny and Yosaku aren’t calm enough for this. 

Usopp has to do this alone or Zoro’s going to die right _now_. _Remember, remember_ , what did Usopp do last time here? _Tear the fabric. Stop the bleeding. Stitch. Bandage._

Zoro reaches for his sword, grasping pure white by the hilt and raising his blade to the skies. All movement stops on deck.

“Luffy, can you hear me?”

_ Oy you suicidal bastard stay the fuck down. _

Usopp breathes out, calming himself with Zoro’s voice. It’s weak, but powering through. It’s so unlike him-- Zoro was never like this after Sabaody. 

That’s right. This isn’t his Zoro, so it makes sense that he’s weaker. He’s here to change that, isn’t he? He can’t panic here.

Usopp channels his Haki forward, onto Zoro-- covering him thick with a layer of sheer will and energy. He draws it in, spreads it out, and files away the information, drawing a picture in his mind.

-

**_(Focus, focus, focus.)_ **

**_(Presence. Strength. Emotion, and Intent: the four pillars of Observation)_ **

**_(Its advanced form, Future, is a fusion of Emotion Sensing and Intent Sensing.)_ **

**_(Then the other advanced form, the form only Usopp and Coby have ever been able to use, Vision-- is a combination of Presence Sensing and Strength Sensing.)_ **

_ - _

Just for Zoro’s war-torn body, he spins threads of his soul to  _ emulate  _ sight. 

Bit by bit, like a television screen assembling the pixels of each detail; like a master seamstress sewing each knot of the world’s most important tapestry.

“Until the day I fight him again and WIN-- I swear that I’ll never lose again! You’ve got a problem with that, Pirate King?!”

Usopp smiles. 

It’s complete. He keeps his eyes closed, his Haki forming the world around him in soul-bending detail, illustrating each thread of the world startling clarity.

He sees Johnny and Yosaku beside him. Each cut of the wood under his feet. Each breath of each Krieg pirate around him. Every contraction of muscle, every twitch of their nerves.

The world is black and white. The souls beam bright and all things are alive.

**_(He can see.)_ **

**_(No colours, just details, and it’s all he needs.)_ **

“USOPP! Go on ahead, I'll catch up!” 

Reaching over, Usopp picks up Luffy’s hat, and hurls it across the sea. Luffy stretches his arm out to catch it. 

“Leave Zoro to me!” he shouts, “we’ll wait for you with Nami, so make sure you bring Sanji with you when you get there!”

“Of course! Then we’re going straight to the Grand Line!”

“AYE CAPTAIN!”

There’s no further goodbye needed. Usopp slips right back to Zoro’s body, tosses Mihawk’s Kogatana to Johnny, and reaches for the needle and the thread. 

Johnny makes a surprised squeak before catching it, but Usopp reckons he knows how important it is.

He can’t keep this intricate Observation Haki up for long. It takes too much energy he doesn’t have yet-- even at his prime, he couldn’t keep this up for long, and he had only ever used it in place of night vision.

This would be the first time he used it in this timeline. He’s never tried, simply because the stressful situation needed to evoke it never came up.

But it’s a risk he has to take.

“Sail the ship, Johnny, get us somewhere stable right now,” Usopp says. “Yosaku, you go back to the restaurant. Luffy sucks at sailing, so he’ll need someone to actually make sure he gets to Conomi.”

There’s only one short pause.

“Got it!” 

Usopp hears the steps, and the splash of water as Yosaku dives back into the sea. Johnny steers the sails, and though the rocking doesn’t stop, they’re getting further away as quickly as they can manage.

No questions asked, no doubts sent, no cowardice in any form. Just obedience in the face of dire straits and a man clinging on to life. 

Good.

Now Usopp can focus.


	14. Fishmen Friends and Deceiving Dons.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nami makes it home to Cocoyashi. 
> 
> Gin makes difficult decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise surprise. This chapter draws Baratie arc to an end, and well, the very first huge change happens! It's pretty fun to write in Gin's point of view. 
> 
> I write in a way that skips most of the canon stuff because no one wants to read my lousy transcribing of the canon script (not even me), so if it gets hard to follow or feels rushed, do tell me! I'm trying my besto.
> 
> As always, I love you guys with all my heart. Enjoy the chapter!

Nami sets the Going Merry on a course for Cocoyashi.

Just a little, she lets herself ease. 

“It sure is nice to sail on you again, Merry,” she whispers. Each step of what she had to do came more than naturally to her, and it’s startlingly clear as she operates the ship all on her own.

Kinoko flies into her view, and she watches the bird land on the bow beside her. 

“So, Noko-chan,” Nami says endearingly, “how’s travelling with me thus far?”

The bird makes a huffy little caw, flapping her wings in an imitation of Luffy’s boisterous demeanor before scoffing. Then she snuggled up to Nami’s metal arm.

Nami can’t help but laugh. 

This bird was so  _ human _ , in the way that it was honest, expressive, and didn't need words to communicate. It’s not as if Nami could fully understand it-- but the animated actions were conversation enough.

Beautiful silver feathers, crusted with a bronze underbelly. The golden ring around her left foot, and the numerous metal contraptions added in the mess of her wings, hidden from view. 

She sighs, trying to admire them as she distracted herself from the problems at home.

**_“It’s Gen-san. He confronted the pirates first, that’s what we usually do… and we didn’t notice! They had a gun, and then…”_ **

_ He’ll be fine, _ Nami shakes her head. He was fine in her past life, wasn’t he? All the way until… until they blew the whole island up and destroyed everything. But he was proud of her. Always. That wouldn’t be until a few more years, anyways.

_ But no, this didn’t happen last time.  _

She hugs herself close, holding onto her scarred (empty) shoulder, looking into the sea, into herself, trying not to cry. The mark isn’t there, not yet. 

Tangerine and pinwheel. It’s gone. 

(And if she loses her  _ dad _ today, maybe she doesn’t deserve it.)

Last time, this was certified Fishman territory, and Arlong’s home base was here, so no one dared to approach, not even the marines. Definitely not bandits and pirates.

_ Now? _

It’s under the Sun Pirates’ protection, but the Sun is always in the New World. It chases away the experienced, but the ignorant newbies of the world won’t care, knowing that it’ll take even Fishmen a while to get there.

This is all Nami’s carelessness at work.

She meddled, so she wasn’t prepared for something like this to happen. There’s no blanket safety for Genzo anymore-- she took it away from him by changing the course of events. 

Genzo was supposed to be completely safe.  _ He was supposed to be. _ This time, there’s no blind assurance that he’ll be safe and alive-- this time, he really  _ can _ die too many years too early. 

“SQUACK!”

Kinoko jets forward with a warcry, wings flapping largely outwards, limbs everywhere, and Nami turns around just to get a facefull of angry bird.

Nami freaks out, jumping away from the railing and reaching for the struggling bird-- she stumbles backward and lands on her bottom before finally managing to pry the bird from her face. She then punches it on the head for good measure.

“What was that for?!”

Kinoko nurses the bump on her little bird head, making more angry squawking noises.

“I don’t speak bird!” 

More angry caws.

Nami rolls her eyes. Holding the bird a good distance away in case she tries to bodyslam? Birdhug? They need a word for it. She glares at the bird. 

And as if to prove a point and as if she’s done this plenty of times before, Kinoko immediately glares right back.

Nami bursts into laughter.

Bird in her lap, tears in her eyes, and a weight in her chest, she laughs. She pries her mind away from the soul-crushing thoughts, the abyss of self-blame, and she laughs.

She laughs, and comes away just a little braver than before.

Kinoko huffs, looking proud of herself.

(Just a little, Nami understands why Usopp insisted she bring Kinoko along on this journey.)

(It might’ve been years, but Usopp really was just so overprotective.)

-

Enough worrying.

Nami ties her hair up into a high bun, retrieving her staff. Heat ball, Cool Ball, and Thunder Ball. It’s much stronger than her old Clima tact, not because of Grand Line materials but definitely with Grand Line techniques.

(It’s faintly reminiscent of Franky’s works, that they’ve gotten from Baldimore.)

(Usopp must’ve made a stop there after Elbaf, because Franky only took the weapons, and Usopp really wanted to see the lifestyle creations that were more his thing. These are like little offshoots of those concepts.)

Oh well. Time to try the other parts out.

The sails are drawn, and she’s standing on the afterdeck. Her Clima Tact set to aim behind the ship, she presses just one button.

**_“Gust Sword!”_ **

And it  _ bursts _ with a whirlwind, an explosion erupting from the baton.

It’s not nearly enough to make grand progress like the Coup de Burst. The mechanism rattles dangerously inside itself, obviously letting out a capacity beyond what it can release at a time.

Maybe using it at max power isn’t the best solution. This isn’t the waver, the wind machine isn’t a dial, and it’s definitely not as sturdy. She’d rather not risk a broken Clima Tact when Usopp isn’t around to fix it.

_ Not good enough _ , she realizes.  _ It’s nothing compared to my old Gust Sword _ .

“I miss Zeus-chan,” she mumbles.

So she quickly cuts off the power, humming disapprovingly.

“Change of plans,” she decides. Turning to the bird on the mast, she hollers, “Noko-chan, would you be a dear and untie the sails for me?”

Maybe it’ll work better if she just hits the sails with the wind.

-

* * *

-

**_It was hard to get anywhere after Luffy’s execution._ **

**_Places like Elbaf, Zou, Fishman Island and Wano were easy to go for, but their hometowns were watched._ **

**_Nami liked to frequent a lot of places, but if she showed any direct attachment to her hometown, it’d get taken down by opportunists at the next moment._ **

**_That’s why, when she managed to go home, she would make it count. She would spend her time enjoying the tangerines and helping out in the city._ **

**_Then the purge began and all Nami came home to was fire and ashes and ruined land._ **

**_(She didn’t look for anyone. She didn’t have that courage.)_ **

**_(She just turned back toward the sea, and never came back.)_ **

-

* * *

-

“Noko-chan, stay right there, okay? I don’t want them to think you’re hostile.”

Nami sets the bird on her shoulder, and hops down into shore. She turns around just to make sure the anchor’s set, sails are drawn-- then she breaks into a run.

Leaping over the cliffside and onto the main road, she catches herself on her hands and knees. Gathering herself upright again, she breaks through the city gates, hops over a crate, and slides under a food stall.

“Ah, it’s Nacchan!” 

“And a bird? What’s with the bird?”

“Nacchan’s back! Nacchan!”

She doesn’t turn back. She just yells an obscure greeting behind her, looking around as she assessed the damage.

She runs past a few Fishmen, all carrying trees and chopped wood toward the village.

“Oh hey, it’s Nami. Is that a bird?”

“Nami? Oh right, you have a guest-- aaaaand she’s gone.”

A few buildings are shattered, swords on the ground and burned trees here and there. People were already working on rebuilding things up, and Nami doesn’t miss how most of the older men have bandages over their bodies.

She tuts. This wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t interfered with the timeline-- but no, no, she can’t think like that.

(She’s not wrong. She isn’t. She’s here to make things better, not make things worse.)

(She shouldn't look at those wounds.)

She stops right before the doctor’s house, where Nojiko was standing outside, by the window. Nami nearly trips, stumbles, and lands on her knees. 

“Nojiko!” she calls, frantic. 

“Oh, Nami! Welcome back!” her sister greets her cheerfully.

Nojiko’s smiling. 

Oh, she’s smiling. She wouldn’t be smiling if it was anything less than good news.

In her relief, Nami can’t get up. Simply catching her breath, she lets her will stretch out again. Genzo’s voice is there, awake, and as alive as ever.

She sighs, a smile breaking out.

“God,” she says, her voice breathy, “don’t worry me like that, please?”

-

After the Arlong Park fiasco and Jinbei turning up to set him straight, the town celebrated. 

Tensions were tough in the first few months, but Jinbei got on his knees to apologize and the Sun Pirates made sure that the Fishmen helped to reconstruct the city.

The island began to have a share of the Sun Pirates’ loot, and flying the flag brought mostly benefits to them, especially with Jinbei’s status as a Shichibukai.

By the time Nami made it back, relationships were building back up and Cocoyashi was fruitful as it was before Bellemere died.

When she visited her mother’s grave, Jinbei came along to pay his deepest respects.

From there, they coexisted.

-

Shifting Kinoko to her arms (she’s a surprisingly obedient hug toy), Nami rushes into the medical bay, and Genzo is on the bed, looking more knocked out than asleep. 

The villages are surrounding him, and Doctor Nako has a frying pan in his hand.

“Oh, Nami. Welcome back,” one of them greets nonchalantly. “He kept trying to wake up and tell you not to come, so we’ve knocked him back out.”

Nami facepalms, bursting into laughter.

“By the way, why a bird?” 

Nami laughs again. She lets herself relax at the knowledge that Genzo is fine, (he’s fine she’s not too late this time--) and shows off her new bird buddy.

“Her name is Kinoko, she belongs to my--” she thinks of the word for a moment, stalling. She looks at Kinoko, then she smiles warmly. “My  _ comrades _ .” 

It’s so easy to say it this time, and she knows her village understands. The way their faces light right up just shows how much they  _ understood _ the weight of that word to her.

(She loves her village so much.)

She doesn’t call the Sun Pirates that. She calls them friends, brothers of another species,  _ kin _ .

She doesn’t call the Whitebeards that either. They were family in all but blood,  _ big brothers _ and  _ sisters _ and  _ Oyaji _ .

She doesn’t call the villages that too, no, no. 

It’s a word reserved just for the Strawhats that are yet to be what they are. She just wants a lot of terms, a lot of relations, a lot. She’s greedy like that.

“Welcome to Cocoyashi, then!” Nojiko grins at the bird, in her mischievous, yet endearing way. “I’m Nojiko, Nami’s big sis. I hope our Nami hasn’t been troubling you.”

Nami blushes.  _ Is she seriously introducing herself politely to a bird? _

Kinoko lets out a birdlike sigh, raising her wing and sweeping it by her head in a ‘ _ oh, she’s been SO much trouble _ ’ gesture.

Nami balks, “don’t lie!” 

And the bird has the gall to turn around like an offended madam, the dramatic gasping gesture and everything. Seriously, who taught her how to do that?

Everyone in the room laughs. 

-

A seat is cleared for her at Genzo’s bedside, and she leans in to get a closer look. 

He’s wrapped all over in bandages, some stained faintly red. 

“He got shot about eight times, lost a kidney, his gallbladder, and about half a lung. I don’t know how the hell’s he alive, but he is,” Doctor Nako says, reading off the medical record and then handing it to Nami, “have I mentioned the foot yet? Because congratulations, Nami, now you two reckless buffoons match.”

Nami turns over to Genzo’s startlingly empty leg on the side, and her breath holds.

_ Amputated at the knee, huh _ . For an old coot, this guy sure is sturdy. He got sliced into a few pieces, shot here and there, lost a foot, and Nami can somehow imagine him up and yelling the next second he wakes up.

She sighs fondly, leaning further into the bed. “I’m so sorry, everyone… if only I was here a little earlier.”

They were some random no-names from East, new flag and no bounty head-- so Nami should’ve been able to deal with them easily. 

“It’s not your fault, Nacchan!” the grocery store uncle pats her on the head, “in fact, it’s because of your connections that we could be saved by the Fishmen so quickly.”

“Apparently, Hacchan-san was around the Calm Belt, so he came right over. He and his group just swooped in and--”

“Anyways, those small-time pirates? I don’t think they even have a bounty at all, so Arlong took them and sank them.” 

“Oh right, one of the big guys is here too. He’s a Merman? I’m not sure. He came here faster than the others.”

Nami listens patiently as they all huddled around making noise, trying to explain to her the situation in their own dramatised storytelling. 

It begins with their epic quest of fighting back, to tragic screaming, to the magnificent entrances of Hachi and Arlong, former enemies now trusted bodyguards.

(Ironic, but the amazing, so heartwarming kind.)

She clenches her fist. What was she so worried about? Of course no one blames her for this. They don’t even know she’s changed anything.

And she’s going to make sure they don’t.

“Could you take care of Noko-chan for me? I’ll need to drop by the Park for a bit.”

-

**_“Are you sure, Nami? Really, the best thing I can do for you guys is to never come here again…”_ **

**_“It’ll be fine, Hachi! C’mon, I’ll introduce you to Nojiko again.”_ **

-

Nami walks into Arlong Park.

It used to be a symbol of nothing but grief for her-- the towering building, the prison-like room in the corner of the topmost floor-- and the welcoming party filled with nothing but Fishmen.

Now?

The building itself hasn’t changed, but it’s more akin to the hotel the Fishmen use when they drop by than a base. Mohmoo hangs out on shore a lot, and he takes the village kids for a ride every once in a while.

And when Nami walks in, the welcoming greetings are full of love instead of forced camaraderie.

“Nami’s back, guys!”

“Hey Nami, how was your trip this time? Did you rob a country?”

Nami can smile this time-- widely and honestly-- as she greets them. “I’m back, guys!”

The Fishmen come out in parades, poking their heads out of rooms to get a closer look. Nami waves at them, setting down her little bag of treasure.

“What’s that?”

“My tribute,” Nami says teasingly, opening the bag to reveal a little pile of gold. “I nabbed this from Buggy the Clown, cause he didn’t seem to want it anymore.”

Choo stares at it skeptically, “that just means you stole it, right?”

Nami just beams.

Choo looks away. He wants nothing to do with this.

“Nami, no!” Hachi snaps. He skids right out of the dining hall, all decked up in an apron and pointing at them with a takoyaki pick. “We said we didn’t want it! Take that away!”

Nami laughs, “oh c’mon guys, just take some. I gave the villagers the rest already.”

“Nuh!” Hachi made three big Xs with his arms, “we are NOT taking it!”

“Then I’ll throw it in the sea,” Nami states.

“Then-- I’ll scoop it back out and ship it to Whitebeard!” Hachi declares, pointing at the sea. Mohmoo stares back and tilts his head to the side, confused.

Nami does a double take, genuinely looking worried now. “Don’t use Oyaji against me!”

Hachi points at the sack of gold with all his hands. He doesn’t say anything, he just. Points dramatically. At the sack of gold.

Nami pouts, turning away.

“You’re such a bully, Hachi.”

“Oh  **_I’M_ ** the bully?!”

Laughter interrupts them. Nami and Hachi huff away from their heatless quarrel, turning to the arriving Sun Pirate. 

“It’s been a while, Nami,” Aladine says, “have you gone to see the mayor yet?”

“Aladine-chan!” Nami greets him, “I’ve seen him. I can’t thank you guys enough for saving him.”

“No, no-- we must apologize for not arriving sooner,” Aladdin says humbly, “we’ve been neglecting the protection in these parts because of the dwindling danger in the East… seems like trouble is beginning to brew again.”

They sit down by the veranda, a fishwoman serving them drinks as they settle.

There are works in progress to adapt the first floor into a cafe/bar. It’s such a strange change to see, especially when, last time around, this place was ruined and was left as ruins.

“So? What brings you?” Nami goes straight to the point, “and as I’ve noticed, Arlong isn’t around as well.”

Aladdin nods, not beating around the bush as well. “There’s disarray in Fishman District at the moment, so Arlong and Jinbei are home to settle the disputes. I’m sure they have it handled, but for now, we can’t afford to leave Fishman island unsupervised.”

Nami hums.

Must be Hordy Jones and his gang, and whatever remnants of the old, human-hating faction. It’s a can of worms no one wants to open, after all.

It’s not a problem they can solve now. Nami’s taking little steps, but with the Celestial Dragons up there and xenophobia being the norm, there’s nothing they can do.

“What about Shirahoshi-chan?”

“Still locked in her room.”

“Then we should get rid of Decken.”

“It’s not that easy, Nami. You don't just 'get rid' of wanted criminals whenever you want-- if that was possible, there wouldn't be pirates in the world.”

Nami grumbles something incoherent under her breath about straw hatted idiots and plot conveniences. She picks up her tea and takes another sip, sighing heavily.

Aladine continues. "We will leave a squad here on Conomi as protection. They'll oversee the rest of the East as well, so if there are other places you'd like us to watch, just say the word." 

Nami hums, “it’ll be relatively peaceful. You won’t want to stir up too much attention and get the government moving thinking you’re a threat.”

Aladine nods approvingly, then he turns to the crowd. "Who wants a long term vacation in East Blue?" A few hands raise up. Aladine looks at Nami. "And there's the squad."

Nami can’t help but chuckle a little. “You guys don’t wanna go home?”

“Arlong-san and Boss Jinbei destroy one building every week, I'm sick of doing cleanup.”

“I can’t get a decent night of sleep there.”

“They keep  _ quarreling _ .”

“Even the  _ Sea Kings  _ have complained about it.”

Nami stares back, surprised. That’s not something she expected out of their most mature Strawhat, but  _ wow--  _ Arlong is what makes the difference? 

(That’s kinda… endearing, actually.)

“Alright then, I trust all of you,” Nami says unhesitantly. “I’ll be setting off soon, so knowing you guys are here? That’s really assuring!”

The Fishmen smile warmly at her. 

Then the words sink in.

“You’re-- what?!” 

“Seriously?”

“You’re setting sail?” one of them lurch forward in excitement, “longer than with Whitebeard? Like, longer than when you go to steal?”

Nami flushes, “the thing with Whitebeard was a-- y’know-- alliance! Thing,” she fumbles. Gripping her fists with resolve, she grins. “This time, it’s for real! I’m going to go to the Grand Line, and I won’t come back until I’m done with my map!”

Jaws drop.

“Guys guys  _ guys GUYS _ OUR NAMI IS A BIG GIRL NOW”

Nami sputters. “Stop that, it’s embarrassing!”

-

* * *

-

Gin finds himself facing Sanji in a battle-- and he freezes more times than he’d naturally allow himself. 

HIs tonfas are just a little heavier today than usual. He can’t swing them as well.

(Weakness. In the Man-Demon? What a joke.)

He’s lived his entire life feeling nothing like this. This-- this weight in his bones, it’s  _ guilt _ . It’s compassion. It’s weakness.

Weakness because  _ why is he hesitating _ ? He’s never hesitated before, whether in front of a child or a woman or an admirable warrior, never. 

(All his life, he’s only known  _ murder. _ )

He remembers Usopp saving him. Saving  _ him _ , what kind of joke is that? He doesn’t need a goddamn waiter to save him from getting his ass rightfully kicked and tossed out.

He remembers the food Sanji cooked for him. It was easily the best thing he’s eaten in weeks, years, in his entire life. Why would he do that for Gin of all people in the world?

And now it’s all Gin’s fault that this ship, that Sanji, that everything, is going to die.

(Sometimes, Gin wonders if it would be easier to breathe if he was dead.)

He presses the metal bar down on Sanji’s neck, and he tries not to cry.

He has to kill this man. The one time he’s received any sort of-- of  _ kindness _ in his life, and of course, this happens. This always happens.

( _ C’mon you literally have him under you now you just have to smash his head open let him bleed out and die and then you can go back and forget this ever happened, cry a few nights, it’ll be fine, just kill him _ \--)

He doesn’t move.

“I’m sorry, Don,” he chokes out, dropping his tonfa and chewing back sobs, grabbing at his bandanna and trying to hide his tears with them but they’re spilling over and-- 

“I just… I can’t kill this man.”

He can forget their fearful faces. He can forget their dying, agonized cries.

But he can’t forget their  _ kindness _ .

He can’t.

-

“Throw away your mask, Gin. You’re no longer part of my crew.”

The MH5 is fired. 

Gin can’t even cry at this. He’s used to it-- he has to be. 

Being betrayed, betraying, hurting, being hurt. 

He sees Sanji throw his mask at the straw-hatted boy, and Gin doesn’t need another second to realize what he’d ought to do now.

Gin has killed more people than he can remember, blindly following the orders of the Don he swore his loyalty to, the Don that now tells him to  _ die _ .

(He isn’t afraid of dying.)

(He’s afraid of being unwanted, discarded, useless.)

If there’s someone that deserves to live in this world, it’s Sanji.

(And when the poison fills his lungs and burns burns  _ burns, _ he almost feels gratified. Maybe a painful death is exactly how a Man-Demon like him should go.)

-

“Don’t you dare die, Gin.”

Gin doesn’t understand. He doesn't understand  _ anything _ . 

The Don he’s followed for his entire life tells him to die, and this guy he’s only met for a couple minutes tells him to  _ live _ ? That makes no sense.

If he had the energy and if he wasn’t busy hacking up his lung’s worth of poison-soaked blood, he’d be laughing.

He’s so  _ pathetic _ .

“Don’t let yourself be killed by a man like him!” Luffy yells at him, like a declaration, like a warcry, like an order.

No, no. Don Krieg is the strongest man Gin has ever known. There’s no way this kid is any match-- what is he, delusional? The Don is someone Gin has sworn to follow all his life.

(And he just got thrown away by that very man.)

If Gin can’t follow the Don, if Gin’s being thrown away by the Don-- what else can he do? Who else should he follow? Where else can he go?

“Bring him up to the second floor where there’s fresh air.”

(What reason does Gin have to  _ live _ ?)

“Hang in there, I’ll send that bastard flying!”

(Why do you care?)

-

And Luffy wins. By some dumb, sheer, stupid, somehow-- he knocks Krieg out, shatters his armor, punches and kicks and destroys and  _ bleeds _ .

And Luffy isn’t dead yet.

Krieg is getting there.

Gin looks over his shoulder at the scene, his gaze hazy, his body throbbing with pain-- and he can’t help but laugh.

“What’s with you? Gone crazy?” Patty asks, “heyyy, don’t die okay? Please? C’mon.”

Gin ignores them.

He watches Don Krieg lose, almost one-sidedly-- and somehow, Gin can’t find it in himself to care.

Gin’s dying. He’s fading in and out of consciousness, and the pain is growing duller each moment. He keeps hacking up blood and his throat burns like solid acid. 

He may as well wait it out and die here.

**_(“Don’t you dare die, Gin.”)_ **

He looks at the sky. How would things have been if he had followed a leader like Luffy instead of Krieg? 

He smiles.

It’d be so much nicer, wouldn’t it? If only he could turn back time, but life wasn’t that easy. 

**_(“Don’t you dare die, Gin.”)_ **

Fuck, he’s really going to die, isn’t he? He can’t even think straight. He doesn’t want to die. He should. He deserves this unfulfilling death. He shouldn’t die. 

Krieg told him to die.

Krieg told him to die.

Krieg told him to die.

-

_ So Gin should die for Krieg? _

(Isn’t there someone he can  _ live _ for?)

-

He tightens his fist, clenching over his chest and howling, choking up another mouthful of blood, doubling over.

No.

_ (I can’t die here.) _

He reaches for the oxygen mask, sets it over his face-- and he  _ breathes _ .

He can't die here.

**_(I can’t die here.)_ **

He can’t die here.

“Hey, wait! You can’t move yet! The poison will-- actually I’m not sure if it spreads if you move but-- HEY!”

“Either way it can’t be good for you so you need to lie down and rest!”

He shouldn’t let Krieg command his life. He should never have. But even if he regrets it now, there’s nothing to be gained. 

Gin needs to make a decision.

For the first time in his life, he has to make a decision for  _ himself _ and not for the Don, for the sake of the Don, and for the sake of his stupid, stupid pride.

He needs to make a decision based on what he wants, and not what he’s taught himself to need.

And he’s already made it

-

“I’VE WON EVERY BATTLE! I’M UNBEATABLE! THERE’S NO ONE THAT CAN MATCH ME IN STRENGTH! AND I WILL-- CONTINUE TO-- WIN--”

“Look at yourself.”

The fleet halts, the cooks freeze. 

Gin stands before Don Krieg-- the hysterical, mad, furiously defeated Krieg. The Don himself isn’t even conscious-- he’s clinging on pathetically for victory, incapable of accepting defeat.

“Can you even see how miserable you’ve become?”

Maybe it’s the pain. Gin can see it in such startling clarity. 

He sees a shell of the man he’d admired, the disgusting husk of someone despicable someone he’d fantasized to be amazing-- but once Gin takes a step back and  _ looks _ \-- he sees someone who is just a man.

A man.

And Gin is a demon, isn’t he?

He lunges forward-- and sinks his fist deep in Krieg’s gut, gouging at the wound there and feeling so  _ gratified _ when Krieg vomits blood.

Gasps sound across the waters.

People are looking at him, eyes wide in horror-- and Gin remembers why he’s called the Man-demon now. It fits-- it always will.

He lets Krieg fall to the ground.

(He’s not dead yet. Not so easy. But his wounds are dire.)

“We’ve lost,” he says. He turns to the sea, to the rest of his crew (his  _ former _ crew) and he stumbles. 

He hears someone call for him but it’s not something he cares to look out for. He knows he looks like shit, yelling at him isn’t gonna help.

“The Don we followed is gone,” he tells them, choking back the agony in his throat. He puts his foot down on Don Krieg’s body and he  _ declares _ . 

_ We need to leave. _

“The Krieg Pirates are over!”

Find new loyalty. Leave the seas, stay in the East, go on land and become a bandit or whatever. That’s what you guys want, right? You never want to enter the treacherous Grand Line again, not after that pathetic defeat.

_ Don’t you see that Krieg was so much weaker than we thought? _

The dream is over.

(Now go.)

_ Krieg and I are no longer worth following. _

-

* * *

-

Gin wakes up with a gasp and a dull ache in his lungs.

He stares at his hands. Clean. No blood. His breathing is heavy, but it doesn’t hurt as much now. His vision is clear.

“They left you behind.”

He flinches.

Realizing he’s on a bed, he quickly sits up. He winces at the pain that shoots up just  _ everywhere _ , and he can’t help the groan that escapes him.

Gin looks up. That’s Zeff, standing by the balcony. He’s looking out at something on the lower floors-- not even turning once to look at Gin.

“Red Leg Zeff,” Gin addresses, his voice just below a strained croak. 

Instead of returning the greeting, Zeff continues talking. “They took Krieg with them, but I reckon he won’t live long anyways with his injuries.”

And Gin knows who the chef is talking about.

His crewmates have left him behind, abandoning him.

It’s deserved.

“You shouldn't move around too much yet,” Zeff helpfully informs, “we don’t got any medics here, but you’ve got a blood transfusion and plenty of fresh air. You’ve survived, but no one can say for sure if you’ll be back in top form.”

Gin nods. That’s fair.

( _ Why did you save me? _ He doesn’t ask it. It just didn’t seem appropriate.)

So he bows. 

Still seated, he lowers his head.

“Thank you,” he says.

Zeff scoffs at that.

“Save that gratitude for our eggplant, would you?” he says, dismissing his thanks, “I just didn’t want you dying in my restaurant.”

Gin couldn’t help but smile a little. What a dishonest old geezer.

He looks to the bedside table, and startles at the book beside him. It’s Zeff’s old log book, and it’s completely unguarded. 

The tricks and terrors of the Grand Line-- it’s a guidebook to the dangers, and with it-- with it, maybe he could go and brave the Grand Line again, as the pirates he never stopped wanting to be.

( _ He can still dream _ .)

He reaches over--

\--and stops himself.

( _ But he has no right to _ .)

Unbeknownst to him, Zeff watches that little action, and he smiles.

-

* * *

-

**_“You don’t usually save customers like that,” Zeff asked Usopp, “what brings?”_ **

**_Usopp only grins at him and says, “nothing really. Just-- he’s a good guy!”_ **

**_Zeff raises an eyebrow, “future shit?”_ **

**_Usopp nods. “I didn’t really know him back then, but Luffy and Sanji did. I never really found out if he was alive, though.”_ **

**_-_ **

* * *

-

“A merman?”

“No, you idiot, that’s just a guy being eaten by a panda shark.”

“Oh hey, Yosaku!”

-

“Gin!” Luffy bounces over to the man when he appears. “You’re awake!”

“You fine to walk around now?” Sanji asks.

Leaning on a crutch and admiring how the entire second floor goes silent, Gin stumbles over. “A little poison won’t kill me,” he says.

“Don’t lie.” 

“You’re full of shit.” 

Gin breaks out into laughter at that. For a gentleman, Sanji is completely tactless, isn’t he? It’s not as if he was trying to act tough in the first place, anyways. 

He stops before the two, staring them straight in the eye.

“I’ve lost everything,” he tells them, not too sure why he’s speaking. His throat still hurts, He’s lightheaded, but it’s nothing he can’t walk off. It’s nothing he hasn’t walked off before. “I’ve lost my captain, my ship, my crew, and my ambition.” 

_ (Did he really have any of them to begin with?) _

“But thank you very much,” he bows as long as his crutches let him, “for sparing my life.”

That’s all he came to say. 

There’s no way any of the chefs in this building would want him here any longer-- they only helped him to return the favour of saving Sanji,  _ which in turn was just Gin repaying Sanji a favour _ \-- really, he’s overstaying his welcome at this point.

He turns toward the door, and leaves.

(Or at least, that was the plan. )

-

"Please let go of me."

"Dun wanna."

“Are you a fucking baby. Sanji, help.”

“Nah, deal with it. I’ve been trying to get rid of him for days-- oh god he’s got his other arm on me. Help. Old man, hElp mE.”

-

After what was a tearful, loud, and swear-filled goodbye, Gin finds himself slotted into a corner of the boat as they sail away from the Baratie.

“I really think I should just swim,” he mutters.

“Don’t be so cold, Gin.” Luffy pouts at him, obviously upset at the aspect of repeating himself way too many times now.

Gin side-eyes the sea, pondering. “Maybe I should just jump in, you can’t follow me when I’m in the sea.” 

“No! Yosaku, grab him!” Luffy snaps back and orders. 

Like a trained dog, Yosuke jumps, and Gin ends up pinned under in a groaning lump. He’s not even fully healed yet, and there they are, roughhousing. 

In fact, Gin feels weak enough right now he can’t even throw this small-fry off of him. It's actually pretty comfortable being crushed to death.

Gin honestly doesn’t understand a thing that’s going on. He thanks the kid, and somehow the kid just doesn’t want to let him go. It’s not as if the kid owes Gin in any way-- this should be the end of their debt-repaying tango. And yet.

There’s completely no value for Luffy in keeping Gin alive, and Gin is perfectly happy with drowning somewhere like Krieg’s probably doing by now. He just shouldn’t die in Baratie because that’s a restaurant and they don’t tolerate dead bodies there.

“You don’t want me to die, right? Then just drop me off at the nearest island.”

“We can’t, we promised Usopp we’d go meet him at Cuckoo Mountain.”

“Where the fuck is--”

“Luffy-aniki, it’s called Cocoyashi,” Yosaku interrupts to correct him.

Luffy blinks, “Choco Mountain?” he mishears again, because he’s apparently half deaf, “that’s a weird mountain. Is there chocolate there? Or coconuts?”

“Forget about the goddamn mountain!” Yosaku snaps. And if he had a table, he’d be flipping it across the horizon.

Gin lets out a long-suffering groan. 

“Whatever, wherever, just drop me there and I’ll leave,” he mutters.

Luffy pouts, “no, I’m bringing you there, but after that, you’re joining my crew!”

Gin stops.

“What.”

“Huh? Did I not tell you that? You’re part of my crew now.” 

“When the fu--” Gin throws Yosaku off him in one angry move, swirling at him in teeth-baring incredulity, “I mean, no! When did that happen? Are you stupid? You literally defeated my crew’s captain less than a day ago! What makes you think I'll join you?!”

“Yeah, I punched the hell out of him,” Luffy says, “that means you can join, right? You don’t have anywhere to go anyways.”

“I don’t follow your logic!” Gin yells, then he’s cut off by a harsh bout of coughs. Doubling over the side of the blood, he spits out some blood into the sea. 

This is ridiculous. What even is this situation?

This brat is literally going to drive him to an early grave,  _ and he’s already dying so it’s not actually that difficult, _ but he’s doing it anyways.

Sanji sighs, leaning over and rubbing him on the back with a sympathetic frown. “Just give up and join already. He literally pestered me for a week and I thought I was gonna go crazy. Now you can’t even run away, you’re going to go insane.”

You’re kidding. No.

_ (I literally tried to kill you, Sanji.) _

“I’m gonna die anyways, might as well wait it out,” Gin groans.

“Shit, you’re gloomy as hell.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re hopeless.”

“Then let me leave.”

“No.”

Fuck, this is a train wreck. This is a dream. A hallucination. A nightmare. He’s not sane right now because of the poison, this must be an adverse effect. Okay then he’ll just wait until the poison kills him.

“This is a kidnapping,” Gin miserably informs, slumping over the side of the boat and suffering from the remnant pain of the poison swirling in his veins.

Yosaku nods, “yes, indeed it is.”

“Dammit.”

“And by the way, if the poison was gonna kill you, it would’ve done it before you woke up,” Sanji helpfully informs, lighting himself a cigarette, “one of your crew told us that there’s not enough left in you to actually kill you.”

Gin bolts upright, surprised. 

“They--?!”

_ (No, no _ , they abandoned him. Sure, maybe they left him alive,  _ but there’s no way…) _

“They took care of you,” Sanji tells him, and Gin feels his heart freeze in his spot. “There’s no ultimate cure, as far as they know. But they made sure you wouldn’t die before they went off on their own.”

Gin bites his lips. Those fucking idiots. 

“Said you deserved better, apparently,” Sanji smiles, “great guys, huh? Don Krieg told you you weren’t part of the crew anymore, but apparently he was the only one to actually think it.”

The crew were as loyal to Gin as they were to Krieg.

Because Gin’s the second-in-command, the First Mate. And in a crew like theirs, people tend to favour the nicer of the two, even if they obeyed the Don more often.

(Stupid bastards, all of them.)

-

**_“We’re probably going to quit being pirates, but Gin is different. He has nowhere to go, and we can’t promise we won’t be deadweights to him.”_ **

**_“His place is out in the sea of monsters, don’t you think?”_ **

**_“But I guess he’ll probably deny it for a while? He’s an idiot, so that tends to happen. Careful, his punches really hurt. Keep his tonfas far, far away.”_ **

**_“But he’s a big softie, so don’t worry!”_ **

**_“He might break your bones though. Like, a few hundred times. Don’t worry he won’t hit your arm if you tell him not to, he’s not that bad.”_ **

**_“Don’t tell him we said sorry, he’ll just call us idiots again. Just tell him we love him! Oh but then he’ll call us idiots too. Nevermind.”_ **

**_“Ah whatever, we won’t be there to hear it.”_ **

**_“Sorry again, you sea-cooks. Hopefully, we never meet again.”_ **

-

“What, Gin, you crying?”

“Shut up, the poison just fucking hurts!” 


	15. "No one ever listens to Pirates. Right."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Usopp gets a headache. Gin thinks Luffy and Sanji are a package-deal headache. Meanwhile, Nami greets an unwanted visitor. Let's just say Nojiko really has bad luck with Marines and guns.
> 
> No one ever listens to pirates. It's misunderstandings on the left, false accusations on the right.
> 
> Well, but that's just another day as a Strawhat, don't you think?

“Usopp?”

Usopp bolts awake. “ZORO?!”

Instant regret, because his head _explodes_ with pain and he squeezes his eyes shut, covering his eyes with his hands so the light wouldn’t pierce past his eyelids.

“Uh, you alright there?”

The sky is still bright. Zoro is awake, sitting upright by the cabin. 

"No. I've got if-I-exert-myself-anymore-my-head-will-explode disease."

"You sound fine to me."

"No I'm nOT--!! owwwww."

After the emergency surgery, Usopp had to leave the bandaging work completely to Johnny. 

After using Vision, he'd lose his Haki for a while-- usually an hour or two, give or take how long it was used and his physical capabilities. He wasn’t like Luffy who just needed ten minutes, after all. Even Coby needed half an hour at first.

(Though, after a long time of training to master it, the buffer time _did_ go down.)

Near his prime, Usopp could use it with no drawbacks at all-- but now, as a weak little seventeen-year-old brat, the agonizing time of weakness comes back tenfold. 

Plus this time he can't see, so the Haki is much tougher to activate and the headache hits him so much harder too.

In a sense, he’s _actually_ blind for the first time in a very long while. Left in voluntary pitch darkness, only knowing his surroundings with his ears and his sense of smell.

"What, does the light hurt your eyes or something?"

"...something."

Zoro drops his black bandanna over Usopp's eyes, just to shield him from the sunlight so Usopp's hands could take a break.

Usopp smiles gratefully.

He can’t quite tell how long it’ll last, but he’ll probably recover before they get to Cocoyashi. Hopefully.

-

“Thank goodness you’re alright, Zoro-aniki,” Johnny’s a sobbing mess, “I thought you were deeead! You were bleeding and everything and Usopp-aniki was doing the stitching even though he can’t see and then--”

“Usopp did? Seriously?”

A blind man? _I mean, he can feel that it’s rather patchwork, but it’s still crazy._ Can blind people actually be certified surgeons? 

Zoro doesn’t know, but he's kinda grateful he’s not dead. He trusts Usopp, but he reckons it was pretty close.

“Please speak softer,” Usopp pleads, voice croaking. He rolls over so he’s face down and makes a dying noise, “my head hurts.”

Zoro stares at him judgmentally, “you’re acting like you have a hangover.”

“Please call it a migraine…”

_A headache?_

“Did you use your Haki thing again?” Zoro asks. He recalls it’s something that helped him see, but he thought it was more of a sixth sense kinda thing rather than literal replacement of sight.

“Haki?” Johnny asks.

“Something like that,” Usopp grumbles. He raises an arm in a dismissive gesture, “don’t attempt it, Zoro. You’ll suck.”

“What are you, picking a fight?”

Zoro glares at Usopp, who just makes strangled frog noises in response. The sniper’s too delirious to keep talking anymore, so Zoro sighs. 

“So? We’re headed to Nami’s place?” Zoro turns to Johnny.

“Ah, yes. We’ll be there in a few hours at this pace,” Johnny tells him, “you should get some more rest, Zoro-aniki. Usopp-aniki, you too. I’ll keep watch.”

Johnny says that with a sort of determination. It’s the least he can do, after all.

Zoro catches sight of the blood crusted around his clothes, the stains on Usopp’s hands-- and he breathes out in relief, knowing it’s just his blood and not theirs.

“Thanks,” he says, “my swords?”

Johnny hands him Wadou Ichimonji obediently, and Zoro cradles it. The other two have shattered-- but it’s fine. This one’s the only one that matters.

“That’s right-- you might not remember, but Hawk-Eyed gave you this.”

Zoro reaches over to catch a small, cross-shaped object. Upon closer look, it’s Mihawk’s little toy sword. Zoro inspects it for a moment before drawing it-- he faintly remembers something like this.

**_(Let it serve as a reminder of your negligence.)_ **

His eyes narrowed.

“It’s called Kogatana,” Usopp mutters from his spot on the floor. “Not a Meitou, nothing like that. It’s just Kogatana for the sake of it.”

“Kogatana, for literally ‘little sword’?” Zoro asks incredulously, “he’s got awful naming sense.”

“I don’t want to hear that from you, Onigiri.”

“It means Demon Slasher!”

“It’s a _food pun_.”

“Shut up.”

Zoro sheathes Kogatana, and holds it tight in his hands. It’s something given to him by the _Greatest Swordsman_ in the world. And that can only mean one thing.

**_(“Surpass me, Roronoa Zoro!”)_ **

It’s such a little, insignificant thing-- but to Zoro, it could not weigh any heavier in his hands. It’s a mark of humiliation, and at the same time, a symbol of resolve.

Wadou Ichimonji, too, is a sword given to him as a reminder of crushing defeat. There is no reason he shouldn't treasure Kogatana just as much.

He closes his eyes, and silently gives his thanks.

Before he rests, he pulls the string over his head, the cross pendant coming to rest at his chest. 

-

**_Last time around, Mihawk’s little blade ended up somewhere entirely unexpected._ **

**_It was honourably passed down, contrary to popular belief-- to a certain boy who Mihawk saw the faintest glimmer of potential in._ **

**_Mihawk didn’t think Helmeppo would become the next greatest, but he had guts, he had the determination, and he was definitely someone that would step pretty high on the pedestal if he kept trying._ **

**_(And perhaps, he would’ve gotten there.)_ **

**_(But before that, he was put on the chopping block with Fullbody, Hina, and Fujitora, and they disappeared in the guise of an early retirement.)_ **

**_(Whether he kept the sword or threw it, Usopp doesn’t know.)_ **

**_Mihawk was never one to over-praise individuals. Helmeppo had earned that blade, through and through-- it wasn’t easy, not at all._ **

**_It’s nothing much, but it meant the world to them._ **

**_(If only the world had parted to let that dream come true.)_ **

-

“Quit whining, Usopp.”

“Shut up, you don’t know how Haki withdrawals even _feel_.”

“I got slashed into fucking _two_.”

“Have I told you the story of when you, sorry I mean _I_ , just chased away the literal grim reaper with a glare? Well actually I can’t do that. But you can. So I can actually die. But you can’t. Apparently.”

“Are you drunk? You’re not even making sense.”

“No, I’m just hungover.”

“You just called it a hangover.”

“Sorry, I mean a migraine. This is a migraine.”

“Johnny, could you knock Usopp out with a hammer or something? He’s going to start serenading the sea if we leave him alone.”

-

“There, that’s the Conomi Islands-- what should we do?” 

Usopp groans. The light doesn’t hurt anymore, but he still can’t use his Haki. he only noticed the island in the distance due to the green and yellows in the distance. 

He flinches when Johnny steps a little too close. Oh god, he thought he was past the point of not knowing where everything is and being startled when something is closer than he thought.

Maybe he’s depending on his Haki too much. That’s why he’s so _lost_ once he loses it. And out in the sea, a lot of his usual methods to compensate for sight are null. 

There’s no solid ground in an ever-rocking boat, and the salt in the breeze interferes with everything else. There’s nothing to feel but blisters, and the air is interrupted by the shiver of the birds and the clouds.

(He can’t use Vision for another good while.)

(The repercussions are too drastic for him in this state.)

“We’re not flying a pirate flag, so it should be fine, right?” Zoro asks.

“No, I mean… Nami-aneki said they were attacked by pirates, so they might still be here. That, or the Sun Pirates might have arrived,” Johnny says, “either way, if we tread recklessly, we’re going to be in trouble.”

“But the Sun Pirates are protecting the island, right? We can just say we’re friends with Nami and maybe they’ll let us in,” Usopp says. 

Sun Pirates means Boss Jinbei, right? Then they’re probably good. But he should be in the New World right now-- too many Shichibukai in East at once would have the Marines in disarray, so Jinbei wouldn’t dare.

Then, who’s here? Or did they not make it in time? Either way, they’ll have to assume Nami has a certain degree of a good relationship with them. She’s a Whitebeard, after all-- surely there’s at least professional camaraderie between them.

(Nah, Nami’s always been good at building relationships. Maybe they tolerate her now? Or has she gone a step further and become total buddies?)

(She got over her hate of Fishmen in the future, but in this time, there’s also the villagers and the fishmen themselves to consider…)

(Agh, this is a mess.)

“No, no, it’s not that simple!” Johnny snaps, “pirates don’t just put islands under their protection out of the goodwill of their hearts! They’re definitely getting some sort of tribute in exchange for protecting them. If they think you’re a threat…”

“Then we just cut our way through,” Zoro says.

“No! Are you an idiot?!”

 _Yes, Zoro is an idiot._ Usopp closes his eyes, leaning back against the cabin. “Anyways, do you guys see the Going Merry around? It’s probably hidden around the corner.”

“Huh? Isn’t it easier to look for Nami first?” Zoro asks. 

“You’re not suggesting we charge right through Arlong Park.”

“I am.”

“Why is violence always your first choice?! We can deal with this peacefully! Let’s try and look less hostile! C’mon!” Johnny yells in exasperation, sounding like he’s going to cry, “if you pick a fight with the fishmen, I’m going to run away and ditch you, got it?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

“Like hell I can do that, Zoro-aniki! You monster!”

“This ain’t a soap opera, Johnny.”

Usopp groans. “Is anyone looking for the Going Merry or were you two expecting the blind kid to look around?”

“Geez, now he’s mad. Great job, Johnny.”

“This is obviously your fault, Zoro-aniki.”

-

Usopp whistles loudly, biting on his fingers and calling a loud, high-pitched note into the wind. “Oh man, this is bad. I can’t tell if Kinoko’s coming,” he says.

“What’s wrong, Usopp?” Zoro asks. 

Johnny goes ashore first to anchor their boat well. They manage to find the Merry after a while of searching, and have decided to dock beside her.

“Sorry, Johnny, could you go up to the Merry and grab my walking stick for me?” Usopp asks, “it should be in the men’s quarters’ closet.”

Zoro raises an eyebrow. He picks up his sword and straps it to his belt, shrugging on a blue, swirl-patterned shirt without buttoning it up.

“Your walking stick?” 

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t see, Zoro.”

“Yeah, I mean, you’re not exactly supposed to see, you’re blind.”

Pause. 

Zoro stares at Usopp. Usopp looks magnificently unimpressed by Zoro’s dismissive response. 

Usopp sighs, throwing his hands up. “Y’know, my If-I-don’t-get-my-walking-stick-right-now, I-will stick obnoxiously-to-Zoro disease will act up.”

Johnny, not prepared for a clingy tantrum from two injured/incapacitated scary guys, immediately moves to make his way up to the Merry. 

“I’ll go get it.”

-

“Seriously? You can’t use your, whatever that Haki thing is?” Zoro asks, “is that bad?”

Zoro is a _little_ guilty to hear this. So Usopp used his Haki to give Zoro emergency first aid, now Usopp’s lost it for a while? 

Yikes. 

Zoro hates being a burden. It’s the worst feeling in the world.

(But Usopp probably won’t accept an apology.)

Usopp shakes his head, tapping at the ground with his stick as they made their slightly slower pace forward. The two swordsmen take strides after Usopp takes his, just to make sure the sharpshooter won’t fall behind.

Zoro looks around. For now, there aren’t any people. Maybe they’re gathered somewhere? Oh well, better for them.

“I’m just not used to being _actually_ blind,” Usopp says, “it’s fine because we’re in the East right now, but in a Grand Line level fight, the moment you lose control of your Haki, you lose.”

Zoro hums. In a Grand Line level fight-- his duel with Mihawk? That couldn’t have been it at all. It was crushingly one-sided.

“So I’m not even strong enough for Mihawk to use it in the first place?”

That’s how far back he is, isn’t he?

“Yeah, that was just Mihawk showing off his knife skills,” Usopp says, no even sugarcoating it at all and Zoro can’t find it in himself to be too miserable about it. “His sword-- you saw it, right? The Black Blade.” 

_Black blades._ Zoro hums, remembering his dojo master saying something like that before-- Kuina often spoke about it too.

**_(Named swords often have a black edge. It’s not a special metal it’s forged by, and it’s definitely not from the strife of battle. It’s a painting of the master’s will, darkened and sharpened with the wielder’s experience.)_ **

(Because swords choose their masters, and swords are stronger with the right masters.)

Usopp says. “That only happens with Masters of the sword-- if the blade acknowledges you, it doesn’t turn back into silver steel. It becomes a permanently stained blade, and stays like that even if the master changes.”

Zoro thinks back to Nami, who coated her pole with black will and drove a crater into the sea with one nonchalant swing.

(If Mihawk had been serious, Zoro wouldn’t just be sporting a huge scar-- he’d be in two pieces, irreparable.)

“What about Nami’s weapon?” he asks. "Is she not good enough for that?"

Usopp pauses for a bit, seemingly hesitating. Then he smiles, and Zoro almost thinks there's sadness tinged by it.

“You need talent,” he says. “Some people are better than one type of Haki than the other. Some people just end up mediocre no matter how they try. Nami’s like that, y’know? But it’s fine-- Nami’s not a striker-type combatant anyways.”

And he leaves it at that, walking on. 

Zoro stops where he stands, watching Usopp trail further away-- and his fist tightens. Is Zoro angry? Frustrated? Maybe not. 

Just disappointed.

“How do you know if you have the talent?” Zoro asks.

And Usopp chuckles, “you just _know_ , Zoro. One day, you’ll find out.”

Zoro scoffs in response, because Usopp trying to be mysterious is just obnoxious. He rolls his eyes in disinterest.

Then he jerks to a sudden stop.

“Usopp, wait!” the order came out a little more urgent than he’d intended. Johnny immediately reaches over and tugs Usopp back toward him.

They narrowly avoid a nasty bump with a fishman. 

“Oh, sorry about that,” the ray fishman steps back a little. He sets the huge stack of lumber he was holding on the ground, “I wasn’t looking where I was going. My bad.” 

“A- A- A-” Johnny stutters, using Usopp as a shield, “a fishman!”

Zoro reaches for his sword, but doesn’t draw it. He forces himself to stay calm, if only because Johnny was freaking out, hugging Usopp like a security blanket. He sets a firm gaze on the fishman-- and the fishman looks back.

Zoro notices the mark of the Sun on the fishman’s chest.

“Haven’t seen you guys around before,” the fishman says, calm-- but Zoro knows that the fishman is staring each of them down, already prepared to subdue them all at once if the need came to be. “What’s your business here?”

(This island was just ravaged by pirates. They might think we’re allies of those pirates, if we don’t tread carefully.)

“We’re looking for Nami,” Usopp interrupts the tension. He sets his walking stick before him, apparently not minding how he’s being Johnny’s human shield. “Orange hair, metal arm, loves money and tangerines?”

 _Where’d the tangerines part come from?_ Zoro doesn’t ask, he just raises an eyebrow. Right, this guy knew Nami before they all met, right?

(But isn’t Usopp younger than Zoro? When’d they have the time to know and get to know each other and become something like war buddies?)

(Well, they must’ve been shit young, then.)

(Zoro’s almost embarrassed to have had a normal childhood in comparison.)

“Nami? Well yes, I have heard of her,” the fishman responds noncommittal. “What is your business, if she _does_ happen to be on this island?”

Oh lord. Of all people-- fishmen-- they could’ve stumbled upon first, they decided to come upon mister I’m-suspicious-of-everything. 

“We’re comrades!” Usopp answers cheerfully, and Zoro can tell immediately by the way the fishman’s brow furrow and he did _not_ like the implications of that, and it only served to deepen the suspicions he had.

Usopp doesn’t notice, though. Usopp has always been perceptive of moods, but right now, he can’t see, in more ways than usual.

“And we need a doctor,” Usopp adds, like he’s just remembered, “Zoro over there, he’s actually in critical condition so we need to get him fixed up by a proper doctor.”

And that. The immediate flip.

“Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro,” the fishman acknowledges, and Zoro swears internally. Geez, who gave him that nickname? It's a pain in the ass to explain! “Coming directly to a pirate-marked island. Claiming to be a _Whitebeard pirate’s_ ally. I can’t help but think there’s something wrong in your story.”

Wisely, Zoro doesn’t move.

This is somehow turning into a misunderstanding.

(Story of his life.)

-

* * *

-

“Before I left, the old man told me that some people call the Grand Line a ‘Paradise’!”

Yosaku and Gin look on in disbelief.

“The old geezer said that?” Sanji asks. “Well, among all of us, he certainly has the most experience in that sea.”

Gin hums contemplatively, “I can understand calling it an adventure, but paradise?” he says, incredulous, “the place was a _nightmare_.”

“That’s because you guys had the bad luck of meeting Hawk-Eyed so soon.”

“No, no. Even before that,” Gin says. “It was hailing one minute, thunderstorms the next, and then the goddamn ocean was boiling the fishes! The sea doesn’t make sense, and our navigator cried two days in.”

They stare at him, slightly baffled. 

This is Gin, who was very recently in that sea. He sounds like he’s exaggerating, but his expressions certainly don’t show the same amount of incredulity. With as little as they know about Gin, Sanji already believes him entirely.

Then, “see what I told you?” Yosaku says, “you can’t enter the Grand Line with five-- six people! It’s reckless! Back me up on this, Gin-aniki.”

“Don’t call me your aniki.”

“That sounds fun!” Luffy beams, clapping his feet together. “Oh mannnn I can’t wait!”

Gin groans something under his breath that suspiciously sounds like ‘fuck, should’ve seen this coming’. Sanji gives him a smug expression and Gin reflexively swings his arm in for a punch, but the cook dodges.

“What’re you so worried about? Nami went there before, so we’ll be fine,” Luffy says, and everyone on the ship does a collective double take.

“Who’s Nami-- no, that’s not important,” Gin sputters, “she’s been there before?"

“Wait, Nami-san is a what?” Sanji sits up with surprise-- sure, she had a metal arm, but a Grand Line veteran? “Really? Was she a cabin girl or something?”

(Sanji has been in the Grand Line before. But he was a cooking apprentice in the safer parts of the ship, never truly facing the tides head on.)

Actually, Nami really did seem like she wasn’t East Blue material. There was just that _look_ in her eyes-- the calculative, fox-like gaze that flutters as quickly as a butterfly’s wings-- reserved one moment, deception the next.

Like some of their more infamous visitors, most of them whom Usopp would stay his best away from when they come in.

(Huh? How could Usopp tell?)

Luffy grins, “no, Nami’s a white bread! She says she’s been to the Grand Line a lot of times! Oh, and Usopp too. It’ll be fun!”

"A white bread?" Gin asks, but isn't answered.

“Wait, I can understand Nami-san, but Usopp?” Sanji stops him, “I’ve known him for two years, you know? And when I first met him he had trouble guiding himself around. There’s no way a kid like that is...”

Sanji trails off. 

(That’s right.)

(Usopp had that gaze too. He’s blind, but he still sees. _Somehow_. He senses things in a way no one can quite understand-- he jumped into the sea to retrieve Zoro’s sword, didn’t he? Why would a blind man that relies on colour jump willingly into the sea?)

(His eyes, they flicker in the same, war-torn way.)

(Sanji should know, he’s been watching the blind kid for two years.)

_(He should know better than anyone, that Usopp, too, was not East Blue material at all.)_

“Oh man,” he sits back, hand reaching for his mouth to meaninglessly suppress his shock. “That kinda makes sense, but at the same time, it doesn’t make sense at all.”

Gin spoke up, “we met this guy... He told us that in the Grand Line, if something doesn’t make sense-- you don’t question it. Instead, you just have to correct your own common sense. We didn’t really take him seriously at the time, because it just sounded dumb to us, but...”

_But if he’s being serious?_

Then the Grand Line is one hell of a place.

“Come to think of it, Hawk-Eyed really destroyed your entire fleet because he was bored, didn’t he?” Yosaku mutters grimly. 

Sanji stands up.

“Right, right, enough of this gloomy talk. Let’s eat. Any requests?”

The mood instantly shifts. 

“MEAT ON THE BONE!” Luffy yells.

“I want stir-fried beansprouts!!” Yosaku joins in on the excitement, previous ominous fear entirely forgotten.

Sanji turns to Gin, who flinches.

“I’m… fine with anything,” he stutters. Then he quickly corrects himself. “Wait. Seriously, you don’t have to cook for me, resources are important on a sea trip.”

“Shut your trap and just tell me what you want to eat.”

“This is a _terrible_ way to organize resources.”

“I’m the cook. You listen to the cook.”

“I’ve been sailing for more years than you, punk!”

“Ah yes, I must admit, that in fact, you do. Maybe if you come on our crew you can deal with the rations like the oh-so-responsible shithead you are. Now may I have your goddamn shitty order for the meal, dear bastard with more sailing experience than me?”

Gin lets out a longsuffering groan. These people, from their stupid captain to that suicidal swordsman to the blind waiter to this idiotic cook-- they’re all so hopeless!

“Pilaf, please.”

(And just maybe, Gin can fit right in.)

-

A sea cow surfaces, and Yosaku promptly freaks the fuck out.

Understandable, really, but Gin has better things to focus on. Like the absolutely _heavenly_ pilaf in front of him right now. God, Sanji’s awesome at cooking. He could eat this forever. 

“IT’S A SEA MONSTERRRR!!!”

“It’s a huuuuge cow!”

“A cow… that swims? Isn’t that just a hippo?”

Gin wants more of his meal, please. “Sanji, seconds.”

"Ah, alright," Sanji says extinguishing his cigarette and taking the plate from the man.

"Oh, me too!" Luffy says gobbling up the rest of his plate before handing it to Sanji too.

“Please care a little!” Yosaku sobs. “ _That’s_ a Grand Line Monster! What's it doing here??”

Gin decides to turn to the sea cow. He chews on his food, he swallows. “I’ve seen scarier ones. This one’s actually kinda cute.”

" _Cute--_?! why did I think you were the sane one on this boat?" Yosaku mourns in the corner, "I was naive. Everyone on this boat is a madman. I'm going to die."

"It probably has a name like Moo-moo or something," Gin says. “The Fishman Pirates are there, right? They probably rode it over.”

"Okay, your name from now on is Beef!" Luffy declares.

“We’re keeping it?” Sanji asks.

-

“DIE!!”

Sanji decides that the sea cow was just hungry-- you shouldn’t beat someone up for that. So he feeds the monster-- only to kick him right up the jaw with all the force of a blistering catapult on a tobacco high.

Gin isn’t a smoker, but he really wants a smoke right now. 

Maybe it’ll give him the ability to handle all this incredulous bullshit. As things are going, he’ll probably need as much caffeine as possible too. And if he doesn’t find a way to run away from Luffy soon, he’ll be stuck here forever.

“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!” Yosaku is near hysterical at this point. The man just really wants to live another day and he’s not sure why he's with insane company.

Gin wants to go over and cry with him, but Yosaku probably won’t appreciate it.

Sanji’s explanation is simple, “that thing was about to take a bite out of me too,” he says, like that explains everything.

Of course, the cow gets angry, so Sanji gives it one more bash in the skull for good measure. 

Gin might be going crazy. He’s actually feeling sorry for the monster-- he, the cold-blooded man demon who has killed children without feeling anything, is feeling sorry for this sea monster that’s being bullied by a sea cook.

“With all due offense Sanji you’re already Grand-Line-level in terms of crazy,” Gin says.

“Gin, I think you’re supposed to say ‘with all due _respect_ ’, not offense.”

“I said what I said.”

And in another minute, Gin sees the poor sea-cow pulling their ship en route to Conomi, a bump on his head and tearing up a little. 

Did they just bully a sea monster into being their horse? Yes, yes they did.

Gin is going to stop feeling surprised now. This is tiring and he’s already feeling sick enough without the extra stress. He can’t afford to add ‘being the straight man’ onto his list of things to endure. He’s going to get gray hairs.

-

* * *

-

“NAMI! We’ve got trouble!”

Nami had been talking to Aladine about the current state of the New World-- then a Fishman runs in, covered in wounds and breathing heavy.

She stands up immediately.

“What’s going on?”

Someone who can hurt the fishmen as much as that on this island? Definitely not a villager-- and they’d just driven away the last group of pirates.

Every fishman on the crew is strong. No pushover could possibly… _(Don’t tell me it’s Zoro? Already? No, those wounds look more like gunshots than sword slices. Then...)_

“The Marines!” the fishman says, and Nami’s heart seizes in her throat. 

Bandits are one thing. Pirates are another. The Marines? That’s a line the Fishman Pirates can’t touch, simply because Jimbei is under agreement to not hurt them.

Her eyes widen in horror.

“I thought Jimbei-chan ensures the protection here?” Nami says, “are they stupid? Doing this specifically when the Sun is on the island, even!”

There’s no reason the marines will be on this island-- they’re under agreement to not touch Sun Pirate territory. Why would they take the risk?

(Oh.)

( _Fuck_.)

Nami clenches her teeth, hissing in distaste, “they’re after me, aren’t they?”

A few Fishmen stand up at that. The Sun Pirates may have blanket protection as the Shichibukai, but Nami has no such protection.

Her threats are limited to ‘I am a Whitebeard’-- and though that’s a good threat in the New World, it’s hard to be of use when you’re on home grounds.

Having a civilian family in a place the world knows-- that’s the most disadvantageous situation a pirate can ever find themselves in.

“They’re at your house!” the Fishman says, “they were saying something about the gold you’ve stolen, and they’re trying to frame Nojiko for it!”

_Oh, that does it._

She turns toward the trees-- and pauses.

_(Huh? Wasn’t Noko-chan on that branch just now? Where did the bird go?)_

She tuts. Now she can’t pass a message on to Usopp! Forget it then. 

“Who’s there right now?” she asks, looking around the fishmen group-- Kuroobi and Choo aren’t around. She can’t feel far enough to tell where they are.

“Choo is there, along with Nojiko and a few villagers-- not the mayor,” the Fishman reports, “I can’t find Kuroobi.”

Nami nods. 

“Hachi, give me a ride to the tangerine grove!”

-

Nami hates Marines.

No, she doesn’t-- she just hates the bad ones. 

There’s a good apple in every bad bunch, like Tashigi and Smoker, or Coby. It’s the same for Pirates and even Revolutionaries, **there are just bad people everywhere in the world.**

Cruelty and abuse of power is the norm. That’s the main problem. 

That’s why she became a pirate this time around, not by circumstance, but by choice. It’s the middle ground of both battles, the only party that associates with both sides and never interferes at the same time.

There are good pirates in this world. There are good marines, as well. There’s no real way to solve this problem. 

(Coby tried, and look what happened to him.)

They just have to grit their teeth, bear it, and overcome the pain, over and over.

(Not this time.)

-

“You’re just a fishman! Don’t obstruct justice!”

Nami draws her Clima Tact, assembling it quickly.

Swinging it in one strong move, she deflects the bullet with two clean spins before swatting away the pistol into the air, and bringing it back down on the Marine’s head, knocking him to the ground.

“Nami!” that’s Nojiko. Nami turns over immediately, eyes narrowing at the sight of her sister, arms held behind her and a gun at her head.

“Nami,” and Choo behind her had been shot in the arm once, probably caught off guard.

She gives Choo one concerned look, and Choo responds with a resolved glance back, hiding his injured arm behind himself as a gesture to not mind it. Respectfully, Nami turns away from that.

At least Nojiko doesn’t look harmed beyond a little ache and bruising.

There are nearly two dozen soldiers-- not a lot, but still a big group. The only fishman present was Choo, and he’s stuck at the fence too far to take Nojiko out of harm’s way. 

The soldiers have the house and the entrances of the tangerine grove all surrounded-- and among them, one man stood out.

“A girl with a metal arm, wielding a staff. Burglar Cat Nami of the Whitebeards, am I right?” the highest ranking officer says, faking a polite bow that was in reality nothing more than sarcastic procedure.

“That hair looks awful on you,” she says, because she’s not in the mood for greetings right now.

The tangerine grove _isn’t_ trashed yet, small mercy, but they’ve got shovels at the ready. 

From the coat, the one talking to her is probably Captain or above. Seriously, who wears that many ponytails? There’s one on his forehead, on both sides of his head, and even on his chin. Who does that?

“Have some respect for me! I’m Commodore Purinpurin, the highest ranking officer of the Seventy-seventh Marine branch!” he snaps.

Nami raises an eyebrow. Well, she’s heard stupider names than that.

“You barge into my house,” she gestures at the tangerine grove, “destroy my property. And there you’re holding my sister, a civilian, at gunpoint.” On cue, Nojiko casts a side glance at the Marine who was holding a gun to her head. Nami sets a firm gaze on the Commodore. “You have the _gall_ to demand respect?”

“Nami--”

“Choo. I’ll be fine. Just leave this to me and get back to the town.”

Instead of being phased, Commodore smiles.

“And that is the issue we are addressing today,” he declares, like he’s very sure he can win today. Nami highly doubts it, but she’s not one to be overconfident.

She makes sure Choo goes further away, straight toward the village for medical attention-- before focusing on the Commodore again.

For starters, Nami stretches out her Observation Haki as far as it can go-- which isn't very far at all. No snipers, at least none in East Blue level’s distance.

So Choo took that bullet and hasn’t killed a human for it yet. Why? To protect Nojiko? For the Shichibukai matter? Or for the tangerine grove? Ah man, that’s totally Nami’s fault, then. 

“I’ve heard that, in this very tangerine grove-- there’s a stash of gold hidden away. Pillaged from other pirates of the East-- now, who could be the culprit of that?”

Nami resists the urge to roll her eyes. They’re going for this route again? 

“It’s mine,” Nami says immediately-- “what’s wrong with pirates stealing from pirates? You’re not going to _police_ my piracy, are you?”

“Of course not. You are a Whitebeard-- who am I to question your intentions? I wouldn’t dare to make an enemy of an Emperor of the Seas,” he says, still wearing that shit-eating grin on his face. “I’m here to question the hoarder and hider of that money.”

This time, Nami really rolls her eyes.

“You’re reaching for reasons,” she says. “I am a pirate-- what’s so strange about me having secret hordes of money in my backyard?”

“Don’t you know assisting in robbery is a crime as well?”

Nami froze.

(Oh. That’s the road they’re taking?)

“Commodore, we found it!” 

Nami swirls over. _When did they?!_ Nojiko jumps forward, but is quickly held back by another marine holding a gun and a warning shout.

They’ve dug around the trees, spring most of the trees but leaving the soil a brown and dugout mess. Shining jewellery and stacks of cash spill from the casket hidden in the soil-- and someone was around counting the stacks to add up the estimate.

“It won’t matter what you say or insist,” Commodore Purinpurin says, “the evidence speaks for itself. You can try to defend-- but why do the words of a pirate matter? Much more, she’s your family, isn’t she? She should be ashamed to have been raised in the same family as a criminal.”

Nami sees red.

**_(“Ace always asked himself if it was right for him to have been born.”)_ **

**_(“I can’t say for real-- but I hope he found the answer to it in the end.”)_ **

This is so fucking stupid.

“Do the marines have no real criminals to capture? Is that why you have to come up with new ones so you can get _something_ behind bars?” Nami grinds her teeth, fists clenching, “you do know what will happen if Whitebeard hears of this.”

“Oh?” Commodore smirks, “running to your old man when there’s trouble? I never knew Whitebeard pirates were such pushovers.”

Nami is _so_ going to kill this guy. 

“So you were counting on my pride to not call Whitebeard? You must be an idiot,” Nami sighs. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with. You’re just a snot-nosed brat from the East who thinks he’s above anyone just because he’s got a little promotion.”

Nami frowns at the tangerine grove. They’ve mostly just destroyed that one patch hiding the treasure-- maybe because Nami put a marker on it this time. Good tactic, now the trees are safe. She’s still pissed about the mess, though. 

That irks the Commodore. “I am a Commodore!” he has to establish that, apparently, “what can one lone, teenage pirate _girl_ do against my fleet?”

Ah, that explains it. 

Nami doesn’t have a bounty, she only has the tattoo to her name, and a few infamous little ventures in Paradise or the Grand Line. Her epithet exists, but it’s about as infamous as Pirate Hunter Zoro, perhaps a little less. 

Indeed, anyone can just take Whitebeard’s _name_ if they’re fearless enough.

Even if Nami _is_ a Whitebeard, the rest of her crew are in the New World. Not to say that gives them any opening at all-- no, no one would dare. 

But if it’s an extended attack on _Nojiko_ instead of Nami, it’s a _Nami_ problem, not a problem that warrants Whitebeard’s efforts or retaliation. Much more, they won’t face any consequences if they just silence Nami.

(Which, they seem to think is easy simply because Nami’s a girl? How dumb. How does Tashigi-chan handle staying here? Nami almost feels sorry for her.)

Nami drops her staff.

She smiles. “That sounds like a challenge, Commodore Pudding-puddle.”

-

“Don’t push your luck,” the Commodore growls at her.

Nami keeps her smile on her face. “I’m not!” she says, “look, I even dropped my weapon. In what way do I look like anything but a _fragile_ little girl? My arm?”

Commodore Purinpurin is _seething_ . Nami isn’t taking him seriously at all, and that’s clear. In fact, she’s looking _down_ on him. She doesn’t believe he would actually shoot her sister, doesn’t she?

The Marines of East Blue can’t continue being pathetically shoved around by pirates like this. First Morgan was apparently taken down and arrested, then Buggy in Orange Town, and Fullbody’s incident in the Baratie-- if this keeps up, Marine reputation will plummet and East Blue’s crime rates will go up. 

Seeing as this is the weakest blue, there’s no greater shame. The higher ups are even _commanding_ him to do something-- his own position is in danger, who cares if he needs to get desperate for it?

Angering a Whitebeard is a problem, but confiscating the money and establishing a little Marine dominance over small-time thieves like _Nojiko_ , right in the Sun’s backyard-- that will win him points.

It’s fine if the story isn’t the greatest. The world will believe the newspapers, or the rumours among the pirates. He just needs to make sure it’s written well.

“The money will be confiscated. I will have mercy to plead your case,” he grins, “so your sister will not receive a bounty. But she will be put on blacklists in case of future conspiracies, and be put under watch of the Marines until she is released in six months for _good behaviour_.”

The glare that sinks on Nami’s face is _glowering_.

“It’s a merciful punishment,” Commodore Purinpurin says. 

Nami crosses her arms together, and the marine holding the gun to Nojiko’s head stiffens. 

“No suspicious moves!” he yells. 

Nami’s eyes widen-- in the very next second, the trigger is pulled and Nojiko howls, a bullet sinking into her shoulder. 

“Nojiko!” she yells, but her sister interrupts.

“I’m fine!” Nojiko says. It’s just a shoulder wound, so she won’t die from that. She won’t die from that, but--

“The next bullet will be lethal,” the marine warns, “Please stay still until we finish retrieving the gold, Miss Burglar Cat.”

Nami sets a firm gaze on that marine soldier.

Those are courageous eyes, but he’s shaking, and his actions are out of trigger-happy paranoia warped into mad confidence. 

He’s scared. 

Scared that, _if he lets Nami so much as scratch an itch, the situation will be completely overturned_ and they’ll all be dead in the next second. 

Nami smiles a little, though it's stiff from anger.

(She knows better than everyone that cowards are good for _one_ thing in this world.)

_(They never underestimate their enemies.)_

It’s a shame she never came to know this guy, this no-name little bastard, in her past life. He would’ve been a nice guy to talk to, especially because he’s a total wimp. “What’s your rank?” she asks.

He’s surprised by that question, but he juts out an answer instinctively. “E-Ensign.”

“Well Ensign,” she addresses him, “it’s shameful for me to admit, but it seems you’re the smartest of all the Marines here today.”

Nojiko was shot. Just like last time. Different spot, but the fact remains.

**_History really doesn't like to be changed, does it? It's almost ridiculous how hard it's trying._ **


	16. chaos? here? more likely than you think.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro gets sewn up properly, Nami gives the Marines a one-fingered salute, and Gin wants to go home.

Zoro is a fucking idiot, and Usopp should’ve known that.

(He should’ve fucking known.)

He honestly didn’t see-- if Usopp remembered right, this was Kuroobi-- Kuroobi’s attack coming, so by the time Johnny shoved him aside, Zoro called out, and a clash of flesh was heard-- 

“ZORO-ANIKI!”

Usopp realizes a little too late what’s going on, and Zoro’s pained howl reaches his ears. Green fills his vision, and anger erupts.

**_(“Zoro!” Usopp yells-- but no, it’s too late for him. He’s surrounded, and though Zoro can handle a crowd of marines on his own-- the rest of them can’t come with. They’ll have to leave him behind., they’ll have to go without him.)_ **

**_(They haven’t seen so much blood on him since Thriller Bark.)_ **

And for a moment, they were there again. In that battlefield, protected by their strongest, running for their lives, total burdens,  _ weak, weak, weak _ .

One step back for balance. 

His mind was set only on one thing-- the enemy in front of Zoro.

He switches his grip on his walking stick, holding it like a spear before drawing it back, and chucking it forward, right between Zoro’s arms.

It’s not solid enough to deal any damage, but Kuroobi definitely flinches. 

(He can’t see, but he has a trajectory to follow. From the amount of time it took to hit, he knows the distance.) 

Usopp drops to his hands, spinning his foot to the side-- landing a solid kick at the rayfish-fishman’s side. Without a beat of rest, Usopp flips over, and kicks his heel upward to sock Kuroobi in the jaw.

“What the-- Usopp-aniki?!”

“Get Zoro!” Usopp yells, because that obviously takes priority over anything else.

Usopp gathers himself back onto his feet, swirling back around for the next strike-- but he freezes instead. 

A loud caw rips through the air, and the world snaps back into place. As clear as a blind man’s view can be, at least. 

Kuroobi lifts his head, noticing the bird in confusion. 

Usopp breathes, his chest burning. “One caw, long,” he says, and then translates. “No fighting.”

And immediately, Usopp gets punched in the face by Kuroobi.

-

The bird dives in, crashing full-speed right into Johnny’s screaming face. Let’s just say Johnny’s screaming got louder.

“Ah, you’re the bird that was with Nami,” Kuroobi realizes, retracting his fist and straightening, resting a palm on his swollen jaw, “so you guys are Nami’s friends? Why didn’t you just say so?”

“WE DID!” Zoro and Johnny yell in unison, the latter peeling the bird off his face with a ‘get off me!’, chucking it to the ground in anger before converging on Zoro. 

(The bird squawks and whirls back into balance before she crashed, making her shaky way to safety on Usopp’s head.)

Usopp sits up from the ground slowly, wincing at his cheek-- he’s pretty sure it’ll bruise, but that’s the best case scenario. Fishman punches can break human skulls easy, and Usopp reckons he got off pretty easy. 

Usopp had hit him in the jaw, so the vertigo must’ve thrown Kuroobi’s strength off. Lucky him, because he still has all his teeth.

Usopp groans, reaching blindly for the bird on his face, trying to shove it away but the bird was grabbing at his face like a cat. “Fluffbutt get  _ off _ me,” then, “wait, why do you smell like perfume?”

Nami doesn’t wear perfume. Chopper hated it, after all-- it’s a girl’s perfume, not a strong one but certainly mixed in with dew and fresh  oranges. 

(Did she fly through a tangerine grove?)

Kuroobi just blinks, turning to Zoro again. “Huh? But you’re a pirate hunter,” he says.

“Since when was I a pirate hunter?!” Zoro growls, frustrated, “if I ever find whoever started calling me that, I swear I’ll--”

“Zoro-aniki, stop yelling! Your wound’s gonna reopen!”

Kuroobi had struck him once at his chest, which was frankly enough to jostle the stitches a little too hard. Did the stitches tear? Usopp can’t tell, but they’re definitely agonizing.

Probably a few, hopefully not all of them. Either way, bad.

“Wait wait I know this sounds far-fetched, but he’s not a pirate hunter anymore,” Usopp assures him, standing up with Kinoko in his arm and looking around for--  _ oh damn, where’s his walking stick? Nevermind _ \-- “we’re a just-starting pirate group. I’m sure Nami can explain it to you.”

Kuroobi’s response is silence. 

Usopp’s looking in his general direction, and he feels a little psychological weight, as if Kuroobi was staring straight at him, studying his every expression. Usopp knows he shouldn’t look away now.

So he stands straight.

“Is something wrong?” he asks.

Kuroobi crosses his arms. “You’re not scared of me,” he says, not at all intending on sounding like a boast, but the words are what they are. “You’re not even wary.”

And that’s strange. Johnny’s reaction-- the panicked ‘oh-no-it’s-a-bear’ treatment-- is the norm, especially out here in the east. 

Zoro’s not scared, but he’s definitely wary and alarmed. That’s also the normal reaction.

Usopp’s reaction-- he acted like nothing was wrong or different. There wasn’t even the beginning traces of alarm a pirate would have against a clearly stronger figure. 

And that usually boasts confidence or pride.

For a New World pirate like Kuroobi, it’s a sign to keep your guard constantly at a high. Because this human before him might be a frog in the well-- or it might just be a dragon. The chances are a sharp fifty-fifty.

(Kuroobi had always been the perceptive, skeptical sort. There is no way he’s going to face this man with anything less than full alert, especially after that kick in the jaw.)

Usopp chuckles, waving his hands before him in a dismissive gesture.

“Of course I’m not scared. I’m the great Usopp, fearless man of the seas!” he says, puffing out his chest in fake confidence. This was easy to see through as a loud lie, so Kuroobi was a little taken aback. 

“I see,” he calmly accepts. “Nami mentioned she would have guests. However…”

Quickly, Usopp lowers his arm and lets Kinoko fly away. 

Then he proceeds to  _ panic _ . 

“Oh no!” he yelps, composure missing immediately, “I forgot! Oh man, I should’ve told you guys about this first.” He turns toward Zoro and Johnny at ‘you guys’ before turning back to Kuroobi, “I forgot, didn’t I? Can we start over? Please don’t kill us.”

Kuroobi kind of wants to.

So much for his previous acknowledgement of the longnose. Usopp’s not scared of a Fishman but he’s scared of  _ this _ ? Geez.

(It’s only a little after this that Kuroobi realizes how drastically and immediately the mood changes, just from one line.)

“What this time?” Zoro asks. If Usopp could see, he’d probably laugh at his face. Zoro sounds like he’s finally remembered he’s not supposed to be sane anymore.

“When you get on someone’s territory when the pirate crew is still on it, you’re supposed to ask for permission,” Usopp turns around to tell him. “We’re assumed hostile if we don’t. It’s kind of like pirate code.”

Zoro makes an annoyed ‘but that’s such a pain in the ass’ noise.

“Oh come on! Unlike you, Zoro, I do not go places wishing to fight everyone on it when I’m bored or don’t have money,” Usopp says, stressing the words. “And no matter what you say, we can’t beat them all up. We’ll die. We’ll seriously die. No, don’t give me that disbelieving look, we  _ cannot win _ .”

Zoro raises a finger to interrupt, but Usopp speaks over him again.

“And no, I am not being a coward. I am a coward, but this is being an idiot. I am not an idiot.  _ You _ are an idiot,” Usopp rubs that last line in with extra emphasis. After a moment of deliberation, he adds, “you and Luffy both.”

Zoro throws his arms up in defeat.

Kuroobi sighs. Seems like he’s feeling defeated too.

“Don’t bother with it. I was just screwing with you,” he says. “You said you were here for a doctor?”

-

* * *

-

Johnny sighs.

Zoro’s pained screaming in the background, behind that window, is, as wrong as this sounds, absolute music to his ears. 

When they were treating him on the little dinghy, Zoro had made no noise at all. 

They were scared-- very, very scared-- because what if Zoro was dead? What if he’d died from blood loss already? Johnny was too scared to check and Usopp was too busy, too focused, too flustered to have time for that.

In contrast to that, Zoro’s constant loud complaining right now, inside Doctor Nako’s house, was just very  _ relieving  _ to listen to, even from outside the doctor’s house and sitting by the window.

Usopp sits beside him on the bench, Kinoko in his lap and his walking stick laying beside them. 

Johnny is exhausted.

They had literally rushed their green-haired idiot into the doctor’s room after that. There were a lot of villagers around the doctor’s house for some reason, though Nako yelled for everyone to clear out after noticing Zoro’s condition. 

Meanwhile, the rest of them just got a pat on the head and were told to sit down. 

Usopp and Kuroobi got an ice pack for their new bruises. Kuroobi went off somewhere else after getting it, though. 

“You’re pretty strong, Usopp-aniki,” Johnny decides to say. “Are there a lot of Fishmen in the Grand Line or something?”

Usopp was completely unfazed by the Fishman. And he attacked-- Johnny wouldn’t even  _ dream _ of recklessly attacking a fishman like that-- and actually striking twice?! Crazy. Usopp-aniki is on a completely different level. 

(Sane, but just from a different world to begin with.)

“Not exactly,” Usopp says, “I’m scared of them too. Just not any more than I’m usually scared of a marine, or a dangerous pirate.”

Johnny stares at him.

“You’re not very expressively scared of any of those things,” he says, very necessarily, “you didn’t even give Don Krieg a glance.”

Usopp chuckles, “I don’t need to. I mean, I’m blind.”

And Johnny has to admit-- Usopp’s right. The man’s blind, there’s no reason for him to be scared of a strong-looking fishman or pirate. Prestige only goes so far against someone with experience as much as he, and there’s no appearance-wise shock factor to back it up.

Johnny’s kind of jealous.

“There’s nothing wrong with being a coward. You just need to stand up when it counts,” Usopp tells him. “Have I told you the story of how the cowardly liar became the bravest warrior of the seas?

“Another one of your weird stories?”

“You won’t listen?”

“Well, I have nothing better to do.”

And they settled down, side by side. Usopp spinning one dramatic tale after a breathtaking story, his tone lilting and exaggerated at the right moments.

Behind them, Zoro’s surgery goes on.

Just a little, they sound less agonized now.

-

* * *

-

Nami honestly thought this would go a lot harder.

But it didn’t. For the second time in this timeline, she’s in disbelief for how convenient the world is for her, in totally incredulous ways reminiscent of her old life.

Long story short, Luffy has stupendously perfect timing.

-

They were in a sort of intense stare-off, when a loud, chain of screaming in the distance caught their attention. They turn to the source-- seaward-- and, there it is.

“AAAAHHHH!!! WE’RE GONNA DIE! WE’RE GONNA DIE!”

“WE’RE FLYING! WE’RE IN THE AIR!”

“I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO SO FAST! LOOK WHAT YOU DID!”

“DON’T YELL AT ME, YELL AT THE STUPID BEEF-FISH! NO ONE TOLD IT TO CRASH!”

A fishing boat-sized vehicle, soaring through the air. 

A handful of full-grown males all inside screaming bloody murder as they land, yelling for everyone to _ get away, run away, we’re gonna hit, dodge, oh no _ .

A fraction of a second is spent on pure ‘what the fuck’, then the Marine are squawking too, dashing past each other and scrambling and shoving over each other to get out of danger zone.

“It’s a fishing boat?!”

“RUN!”

“NO, NO, THE OTHER SIDE!”

“Aaaaahhh!!”

In the panic, the man holding Nojiko loosens his hold to find space to escape-- and at first, Nojiko was also horrified, scrambling around for anywhere that’s cover instead of escaping-- priorities are life over freedom for now, after all.

And then it lands, right on top of Commodore Purinpurin, who was too shocked to escape in time. That's not enough to stop the velocity of the fall, so the boat skids on forward, grounding against the grass-- and then proceeds to crash right into the house.

Her house. 

_ Damn, there goes her house.  _

The door shatters on impact, and the motley chaos disappears into the building in a mess of broken wood and debris and furniture. And startled yells, lots of startled yells.

Nami stares, utterly flabbergasted.

She snaps out of it for a moment. Nojiko’s still surrounded by Marines, though none of them are holding onto her. Nami runs forward.

The Ensign notices her, and he freaks. He reaches for his rifle-- but Nami is faster.

She braces on her right foot, throws her body forward with her right fist-- 

**_“Shark Tile: True Punch!”_ **

\--she doesn’t hit them. She hit the air, and the shockwave blows them all back. Fishman Karate is the philosophy of wielding water, and the vapour in the air is enough of a weapon to deal with these grunts.

All except Nojiko, who Nami grabs by the wrist and tugs over to her side. 

“Nami, isn’t that the fishmen’s technique--?!” Nojiko says, startled. Nami shushes her quickly, scooping up her Clima Tact on the way.

“I can steal more than money, Nojiko,” Nami grins. 

She splits it into three and catches it, spinning Heat and Cool Balls behind her. She takes a good look at Nojiko’s still-bleeding shoulder and painfully unmoving arm. 

Behind them, a figure laughs, bursting out of the house.

“We’re alive!”

“WE ARE NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN!”

“I’ll never have enough lives for this...”

“That shitty hippo, I swear if we ever see it again-- OH! NAMI-SWAN!! ♥️♥️ AND ANOTHER PRETTY LAAAADY~!!”

Nojiko presses her hand on the wound. Nami’s eyes narrow on it, but she quickly looks away back toward the new entrants.

The Marines have regained their composure now, getting up quickly and cocking their guns at the crowd.

“Commodore Purinpurin!”

“You fiend! What do you think you just did to him?!”

“Uh, is he still alive?”

“Seize them!”

The four (four? Usopp’s not among them, so maybe Johnny and Yosaku? She can’t see the fourth in the angle she’s looking from, but anyways they) step out of the smoke, coughing, brushing dust and rubble out of their clothes. 

They’re still bickering as they come out, and Luffy’s booming laughter still towers over all the other noise in the area. 

At the loud threats, Luffy looks up with an unwelcoming glance. 

“Huh?”

Nami holds up her hand, assembling her staff together and sets it standing beside her. “Luffy, don’t worry about them,” she calls after him. 

“Oh, Nami!” Luffy immediately beams.

Half of the marines snap back toward her, suddenly realizing that they’ve had the tables completely turned on them. It’s one thing if they confront her with a hostage-- they didn’t come here in preparation to fight a large battle!

(And without their Commodore, they’re all in disarray and heck, they might not get out of this alive if they’ve put the pirates in a bad mood-- which they have.)

“You idiot! Why did you let go of the hostage!”

“But the Commodore-- shit.”

“She has her weapon. Troops, aim at the Burglar Cat!” 

“But what about the ones that attacked the Commodore?!”

“ShIt shit shit!”

Nami raises a finger toward the sky. Eyes turn towards it, and panic ensues again. Shit, when did such a large, dangerously gray cloud get there? Well it’s been there for a while, so Nami reckons her opponents are pretty blind all the time. 

“The weather calls for a Thunderstorm warning. Do abstain from leaving your houses until it passes,” she smiles. She raises a finger to the air, and the cloud crackles with golden sparks. 

She throws down her finger in time with the first strike of lightning.

**_“Thunderbolt Tempo!”_ **

-

* * *

-

“Listen here, you marine buffoons. Whatever the hell you were trying here, consider yourselves scarce and,” Nami hisses with teeth, “fuck. Off.”

Her staff twitches a little in her grasp, and a Marine makes a shrill whimper.

Luffy and his group are staring at the scene with jaw-dropped interest. Yosaku is screaming, finally realizing that they’d crashed into a Marine Commodore back there.

Nami raises a metal middle finger.

“This ain’t a show! Get off my private property already!” she yells.

And they bolt. Screaming, they dash off like no tomorrow. Some of them scramble past Luffy into the house to retrieve their Commodore, stopping only once to look at Nami.

“And just let me tell you guys this-- don’t you dare go tacking on Oyaji’s name for any of this, got it?” Nami threatens them. “I’m not a Whitebeard Pirate anymore-- from now on I’m a Strawhat Pirate! Got it?”

The Marine pauses confusion, Commodore Purinpurin unconscious over their shoulders. 

“Strawhat?” he asks.

He turns slowly toward Luffy, who’s standing right beside him a door’s distance away.

Luffy beams, “I’m Monkey D. Luffy!”

Luffy sure knows how to be unintentionally threatening, because that’s a million-watt smile that sends shivers down the spines of the bravest marines. It’s the same thing in the future, and the same thing from Gold Roger. 

(The smile of a man that can overturn the world without hesitation.)

(Maybe it’s a Pirate King thing?)

Nami scoffs at their retreating figures. What a waste of time! “This is ridiculous,” she sighs. “You dropped by right in the nick of time, Luffy. Thanks for the help.”

“Oh, no problems!” Luffy grins. He hooks an arm around Sanji and then at his other companion-- “Anyways, we got new comrades and everything, so let’s go, Nami!”

Sanji quickly escapes from that hold, zooming forward to Nojiko and bowing dramatically, getting on his knees before holding her hands out in a proposal.

“Oh, you bring the goddess of beauty to shame,” Sanji swoons, “may I have your name, oh lovely mademoiselle?”

Nojiko humours him. If there’s something she and Nami definitely inherited from Bellemere, it was the fact that they loved to charm the playboys, if only to get away with everything under the sun.

“I’m Nojiko.”

“Nojiko! Ah, such a beautiful name. The voice of the angels! I have been blessed by your company, Nojiko sweetheart.”

Nami stares at the scene with muted horror for a moment. Sanji has probably lost his wallet twice now… she opts to ignore it in favour of Luffy. 

“If you’re here, Zoro and Usopp should be in town…” Nami pauses. “Wait.”

Her face falls, her jaw drops.

“Luffy,” she speaks up, a shaky finger raising. 

Okay, the one with the straw hat is Luffy. The charmer beside her sister is Sanji. The one behind them, face full of panicked tears, is Yosaku. 

So who’s the exhausted-looking guy being held down by Luffy’s three-looped grip?

“Luffy, who’s that?”

It’s different.

It’s different, sure-- the entrance is wrong and the greetings don’t line up. That’s to be expected. But the members and the casting shouldn’t be different. 

Why is there another actor on the stage?

Why is there another chess piece on the board?

(Usopp must have done something.)

( _ Usopp must have done something _ , because Nami didn’t.)

Luffy grins. He always girns, because he’s adorable and innocent and nothing he does can be wrong, he won’t let anyone tell him it’s wrong. Once he’s decided on something, once he’s marked his territory, he’ll fight you to keep it.

He’s an animal, an endearing, so endearing little animal.

“That’s right! You haven’t met him yet,” Luffy tugs the older man closer toward himself, “this is Gin! He’s  _ nakama _ , too!”

**Uncharted territory.**

Nami feels hollow inside, but it’s not devastation she’s feeling in her chest. It’s not that kind of painful emptiness or disappointment-- she’s not upset about this, but she's not overjoyed, either. She’s surprised, but she doesn’t know if it’s pleasant or unpleasant.

She’s conflicted.

(Not for the first since she’s come back, she’s finally realized something.)

(This was  _ unpredictable _ . This was different. This was wrong _ but not wrong _ , because the ‘real’ she knows  _ doesn’t exist anymore _ .)

_ (So this can’t be ‘wrong’. This is the new ‘right’.) _

(And that’s what it means to be ‘changing the future’.) 

So she forces a smile on her face, and tries to stifle the growing sense of dread in the pits of her stomach. Things weren’t going to be the same anymore.

She threw away the familiar future when she decided to change the sequence of things. She threw that away willingly, the bad, and the good as well.

(They’re not the East Blue Five anymore. They won’t be the Strawhat Ten anymore.)

(Things are going to be  _ different _ and that means the dynamics and the friendships and the crew and the atmosphere, _ everything, it’s going to change _ .)

She can’t cry about it now, Gin didn’t do anything wrong. She shouldn’t blame him for it.

“I’m Nami. I’m the Navigator.”

(This was for the better, she just has to believe in that.)

(She can’t be the old Nami anymore. She has to be the  _ new _ Nami and this new Nami has new friends, _ new comrades, too _ .)

(Because this is the new timeline, and Nami can’t spend too much time wallowing in the old one. They’ll be left behind)

“Nice to meet you, I guess.”

-

* * *

-

Zoro is alive.

Like, he probably died a few times in between the surgery simply out of Doctor Nako’s spite, but yeah he’s alive. 

Johnny hasn’t stopped crying in relief yet.

“The first aid was done well, thankfully, but it might still get infections,” the doctor says, taking a drag of his smoke, “I don’t care what you guys do, but let the stitches heal before you let him challenge a brick wall again, got it?”

Oh, they’ve only known Doctor Nako for the past hour or so, but he’s already gotten Zoro’s personality down to perfect understanding. That’s impressive.

“No promises,” Usopp promises half-heartedly. “He’s only got swordsmanship and aimless idiocy in his head, so it’s out of my hands, sir.”

_“What was that, Usopp?!”_ an offended voice comes from behind the window.

“And strangely sharp ears, apparently,” Usopp corrects himself. 

Doctor Nako nods contemplatively. 

In the few hours they took to get the surgery done, Usopp was beginning to get the threads back into his vision. His Haki was starting to crawl back out, easing out he kinks like a baby deer learning how to use his legs. In a while, it’ll be back to normal.

The familiar voice of Kinoko beside him began to take shape as a little more than a brown, fluffy blur, and with it, he began to spread out over the island.

He reached over to Kinoko’s leg, retrieving the vial he had fastened to it before. 

Usopp’s Observation Haki could not sense furniture, infrastructure, and plants-- but he could sense humans and animals. He’s particularly sensitive to his own voice, his own smell, his own whisper in the wind.

So the vial around Kinoko’s leg contained droplets of his own blood, diluted to a colourless, odourless degree. Kinoko would spread it around an island-- and Usopp would feel around blindly with his Haki, charting a map inside of his head.

This way, he can get a survey of the land using his Haki, even without his eyes.

It’s a relief that Nami used to draw so many maps, discard just as many, and she was always in the mood to talk Usopp’s ears right off about the logistics and tactics of the perfect sea chart. Though that was back in the old world.

(Now, Usopp could only try to dig those memories back out. He wasn’t even sure how a map was supposed to look like anymore. He hasn’t seen a clear thing for ages.)

“Thanks a lot, old guy,” Usopp says, “is Nami around?”

“Hm? What, you owe her some money or something?” Doctor Nako asks.

Usopp blanches, “who  _ doesn’t _ owe her money? But no, not for that. We’re actually meeting up here with our crew before we set off for the Grand Line. The last of our crew should be here soon.” 

If Usopp could see, he would’ve probably laughed at Doctor Nako’s expressions.

“I don’t get it, you guys masochists or something? You’re gonna have to deal with that greedy tyke for the rest of your life if you let her on your ship,” Doctor Nako tells them. 

“Don’t worry, she’s actually the least crazy of the crew we have so far,” Usopp says, his face stoic as a deadpan without him even trying.

Johnny makes an offended noise, “you are the  _ last _ person that gets to say anything!”

“Now, Jimmy, don’t bully the blind kid.”

“My name is  _ Johnny _ ! And we all know you’re not as blind as you pretend to be!”

“Now that’s just rude.”

They’re interrupted by Kinoko, who scatters her wings and flaps wildly, getting her altitude before soaring off in a direction Usopp can’t see. 

(What’s got into her?)

“Wait, Kinoko! I still need you to...” Usopp raises his voice-- but the bird’s presence is too far away now, so he trails off. “Johnny, what’s over there?”

There’s a lot of noise at the village gates, a flock of voices (people) gathering, all voices in disarray and a weakened voice making himself known.

Doctor Nako runs toward it, and Usopp realizes that whatever happened, a doctor was necessary there. 

“Something happened,” Johnny says, his voice tense. 

That’s clear. Peace never stays long around the Strawhats, and this was exhibit one. But seriously? Trouble on the Fishmen’s island?  _ You’re not telling me Luffy is here already… _

An injured Fishman is being led towards them-- and Usopp doesn’t pinpoint the voice until Doctor Nako calls out his name, 

“Choo!” he gapes, “you’ve been shot?”

Choo. That’s the guy Usopp fought in his last timeline. Yikes.

Johnny flinches in his spot. “Another fishman?” 

Usopp nods sympathetically. If this was the previous timeline, he’d be just as freaked out. After all, Johnny’s a normal guy. 

Usopp could sort of imagine the internal turmoil Johnny’s facing.  _ Oh right, this one is hurt-- that’s not the problem! He shouldn’t be this scared of them. _ (There’s no reason to be!) (But I am!)  _ Cue confused screaming. _

In fact, the panic is hilariously clear in his aura alone, and Usopp’s haki right now is hazy like a freshly-awakened mindset, so Usopp is just absorbing Johnny’s internal crisis like a sponge. 

(He wants to slap Johnny once. Maybe he’ll stop panicking.)

“It’s nothing, chu,” Choo says. “We should hurry. The Marines are…”

(First pirates, now marines? This island’s protection is a complete mess. An overhaul on the guarding duty needs to be organized, seriously.)

Usopp can smell the blood in the air. Choo’s been shot, but it’s nothing serious. But _shooting a Fishman_ is a serious matter-- why would a Fishman of Choo’s caliber _let_ anyone shoot him?

(Hostage situations, politics?)

Usopp stands up suddenly, his aura blaring, eyes wide, and fists clenched. 

( _ He’s _ here.)

Choo stops speaking immediately, his New World-levelled instincts freezing him shock still as he swirls, vision landing on Usopp. Eye contact was not necessary-- this was an assertion of spirit, from one pirate to another. 

”W-What’s wrong, Usopp-aniki?” 

Johnny latches onto Usopp’s arm, looking frantically between them. 

“Huh? Uh, no, nothing much--”

“Don’t do that. Usopp-aniki you might notice but you’re glaring  _ right _ at the Fishman, and I’m not a Fishman, but I’m sure that’s rude,” he pleads, sounding more confused by the second, “stop it.  _ Please _ . Usopp-aniki I am going to _ cry. _ ” 

Usopp quickly closes his eyes.  _ He had been focusing too hard _ . His eyes have no discolouration, so it definitely  _ does _ look pretty threatening when he stares off in a random direction. He’ll need to keep that in mind next time.

Johnny breathes a sigh of relief.

“I see,” Usopp says, “the Fishman Pirates can’t do anything to the Marines on this island, Shichibukai and all. Hey, Mister dandy sir Fishman over there!” 

Johnny squeaks, presumably because Choo’s stepped forward, coming very much closer towards them. Doctor Nako’s fussy voice comes closer too, presumably to treat the gunshot wound where the Fishman stood. 

The bounty hunter ducks behind Usopp’s body, shaking like he’s read to wet his pants today. But Usopp is unfazed.

“And you are?” Choo asks.

“I’m one of Nami’s new comrades. My name is Usopp!” Usopp says, huffing in practised pride. “Don’t worry, me and my legion of eighty million--” he trails off and starts again with, “anyways, Marines?”

“Kind of. If you’re her comrade, how about you go up and help her? Chu,” the fishman says in an apprehensive manner, clearly issuing a challenge rather than offering a friendly suggestion. “They have Nojiko, so she’s in a bit of a pinch."

Usopp raises a finger. "Don't worry."

Right then, thunder struck in the airspace above the tangerine grove.

All eyes spun on the scene. Jaws drop, eyes widen, and surprised squeaks pass through the crowd. Even in Paradise, sudden miniature sparks of hell thunder was  _ not _ actually common. It makes sense that this freak everyone the hell out.

Usopp chuckles nervously, “on behalf of my captain, I would like to ask-- permission to come inland, sir Choo of the Sun Pirates?”

Choo made a longsuffering groan. “Should’ve known Nami’s comrades would be just as crazy as herself. Chu.”

-

* * *

-

“GOMU GOMU NO--” is the only warning, “--HI USOPP!!”

Usopp is abruptly met with a facefull-- or actually armfull, or actually let’s just say bodyfull-- of Luffy. The rubber menace greets the blind boy by rocketing straight into him and shooting them both churning backward into a tumbling, ragged pile of pain.

As Usopp stares at the blue sky, a blooming agony in his head, a laughing weight on his body-- he finds himself deeply reconsidering his life choices.

There's that caw in the air. With his Haki, Usopp can tell that Kinoko is currently perched on Nami's head.  _ Oh hi there you moronic fluffbutt, what's the point of you being here if you always run off somewhere else when I need to avoid being, y'know, rocketed into? _

He's going to pluck out that stupid bird's feathers one by one he swears.

“Hi, Luffy,” he says, still sprawled out in a defeated manner. Luffy had probably made himself comfortable on top of Usopp, arms crossed as a pillow for his chin. “Zoro’s in the doctor’s office.”

“Doctor?” Luffy asks, in his very irritatingly endearing way, “Zoro? Why is Zoro in there?”

“Obviously because he almost died--!!” Usopp snaps back instinctively, only to belatedly realize he’s wasting his energy. “Hey, listen to me!”

Luffy’s not listening. He hops back up to his feet, dusts himself off, and hums a lazy tune as he marches off in the probable direction Usopp is pointing. 

“Maybe he’s taking a nap,” he decides, because he’s a very responsible captain like that. He goes through the window, because he does not know what a door is. “Hey, ZORO! Oh you’re right there. WE GOTTA GO! WAKE UPPP!”

Then apparently Luffy finds something  _ else _ interesting. 

“OH HEY! You’re Nami’s big sis! What’re you doing here, did you teleport?!”

“No, I came through the door right over there.”

“So mystery teleport! Cool. And woah! This old guy looks like one of those ugly dresses in Dadan’s closet! WOAH! A PINWHEEL THAT’S SO COOL!”

Who gave Luffy a shot of caffeine? He’s awfully excited for some reason. 

A blur of beige passes his vision, and Usopp sits up to find orange and silver looking back at him.

“Glad you made it, Usopp,” Nami says.

Usopp squints at her. “Nami, did you just give the blind boy a  _ hand _ to help him up?”

“For hurting my feelings, you now owe me another thousand beri.”

“Alright then, let’s decrease that total with the two hundred thousand I spent making your Clima Tact.”

“That’s cheating!”

“Pot kettle black!”

“Are you going to take the hand or not?!”

-

Gin stares at the scene, flabbergasted. While the two bounty hunters have a tearful, much more normal reunion, the two, saner Strawhats are having a spat about money.

Sanji takes another drag of his cigarette. 

“Are they always like that?” Gin asks the two bounty hunters, who stop in the midst of their brotherly hug of joy to address the scene.

“Well, sometimes,” Yosaku says, “they’re really close. Even more so than Luffy-aniki and Zoro-aniki… Cook-aniki?!”

Unified squawks resound as Sanji goes streaking through the air like a missile, bringing his feet toward Usopp with an unholy screech.

“HOW DARE YOU BE SO RUDE TO NAMI-SWAN, YOU BLIND BASTARD!”

Usopp squawks as he goes flying for the second time that minute. Sanji lands on top of him, grasping him by the collar. That half-transparent thing swelling out of his mouth is probably his soul. Does that mean he’s dead?

“And you still owe me an explanation for the dumb and reckless SHIT you’ve been doing recently!” Sanji yells at him. 

Usopp just looks dizzy at this point. Nami sighs. Yosaku decides to go see Zoro before Luffy mauls him, and Johnny tries his best to ease the not at all heated banter.

Gin facepalms. “I need a drink.”

“Wait!” Usopp raises his arm to block Sanji’s kick, suddenly raising his voice in realization. “Is that guy over there the hungry guy from the Krieg Pirates? What’re you doing here?!” 

Gin blinks once. Is he not welcome? That’s amazing news. “Can I leave?”

“Your captain invited him in,” Sanji says, not removing his foot but certainly taking a leisurely moment to smoke before continuing to dig a bruise into that forearm. “His name’s Gin. Introduce yourself, you shitty bastard.”

“What kind of first impression of me are you trying to give him?” Usopp whines, moving both hands over to catch Sanji’s next kick. “Wait! Nami, did you do something?!” he asks in an accusatory tone.

And Nami sounds scandalised, “what? I left the Baratie crazy early, remember? I thought  _ you _ did something!” 

“Huh? Then  _ what _ changed?”

“I don’t know, I wasn’t there!”

Sanji interrupts. “You shity bastard! Are you being rude to Nami-san again?!”

“Geez Sanji, you’re misunderstanding the situation!” Usopp whines, “wait! OW! That hurts! That’s dirty! You don't kick a blind boy in the face! OUCH! STOP! I’M SORRY!”

“Wait, Usopp, this is serious!” Nami yells, “you know this could mean--”

“--Sanji, stop kicking me!” Usopp is too occupied by the assaulting blond asshole. “And Nami, seriously, I don’t think I did anything that could’ve-- don’t you think it’s  _ you _ ? You travelled around a lot more than I did! Maybe--”

This was such an incredulous mess. Are they seriously a crew of pirates? They seem like such a motley crew, there are two disputes in front of him, and the captain is fooling around in the corner without a care in the world. They’re hopeless.

Gin side-eyes the alley.

If he ducks away now, no one would even notice…

“Gin! Come on, let’s introduce you to--” Luffy is suddenly beside him, latching onto his arm. Dammit! Did he realize I was trying to run away? Luffy’s eyes land on the bickering group, “--oh nevermind, Usopp’s busy. Let’s go meet Zoro then!”

And Gin is unceremoniously dragged into the doctor’s house.

He’s exhausted. He just wants to sleep. He could just pull away now-- but for some reason,he can’t bring himself to shove the little captain off.

(Ah man, is he getting soft already?)

(Obviously not. It’s just the poison in his veins.)

Speaking of the poison, he’s getting used to it. He can pretty much get by with ignoring the dull ache in his lungs now, which is good if he wants to keep being a fighter

The problem was if he wanted to be a pirate on this crew, or run off and go solo.

“Zoro! Look, this is Gin! Gin, that’s Zoro!” Luffy introduces them without even saying anything important.

Gin considers Roronoa Zoro, lying on the bed with hell’s new scar marring his chest. Their eyes meet-- and he knows that Zoro is observing his newly thinned figure, the faint blue freckles on his arms where his short-sleeved shirt couldn’t cover.

Gin is first to break eye contact, if only to pull his blood-stained bandanna further over his eyes. 

(He wonders if he can get himself a replacement for his shredded jacket in this town.)

Zoro smirks, turning away. “Too bad for you, dude. I guess you’re stuck with us from now,” he says. “Welcome to hell.”

Gin sighs, “you’re not going to help me get away either, huh?”

Zoro just laughs, and Gin is sort of offended.


	17. wait, this is wrong. No, it's not my fault.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew meets the Fishmen, officially. Usopp and Nami speak of the future that could have been, and preparations are made to leave. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Gin gets assaulted by a bird, tries to find a meaning for himself, and as usual-- is utterly exhausted.
> 
> Have I mentioned the bounties yet?

“Cool! Fish people!”

“L-l-l- Luffy-aniki! NO! That’s a Fishman! Don’t just walk up to it!” 

Yosau clings desperately at the boy, but Luffy just walks on, his very long arm still holding onto Gin. 

The commotion draws the attention of the other Fishmen.

“Oh, are you a visitor?” an octopus fishman asks, walking forward to greet them before they came too far into the gates and offended someone. “You guys don’t look like you’re from this island.

Yosaku squeaks, ducking behind Luffy, “it’s an octopus fishman!”

Hachi nods, “yes. I’m a _dandy_ octopus fishman,” he says, swirling his arms about in a very bodhisattva fashion. “I’m Hachi.”

Luffy laughs, “you're an octopus but you’re a person! That’s so weird. Oh! Hey, do you poop?” 

“DON’T ASK THAT!” Yosaku yells, hysterical.

“Yeah, I do.”

“DON’T ANSWER!” Yosaku snaps.

The laughter rings through humans and fishmen alike. Luffy laughs boisterously, Yosaku looks on the verge of fainting, while Johnny and Gin just look defeated at the side. 

Sanji was frankly disinterested, simply because there were no female fishmen where he could see them. Nami and Usopp stayed behind to look after the sick people in the infirmary, but for politeness’ sake, they were here in Arlong Park.

“Hey, Aladine-chan,” Nojiko greets them loudly, catching everyone’s attention with the bandages around her shoulder. “Nami’s busy, so I came to introduce her crew to you guys!”

“Wait, wait, what happened to you?” Hachi fusses.

“Oh, I got shot a little.”

“HOW DO YOU GET SHOT A LITTLE?!” Hachi grows red, “who?! How dare they!”

“Don’t worry, Nami dealt with them already,” Nojiko says.

But before she gets to say anything else, a certain sea cow surfaces at the port, teary-eyed and full of bumps on his head.

“Oh,” Luffy says.

“Ah,” Sanji drops his cigarette.

“Moh-moo!” Hachi squawks, rushing over in a panic. “Oh no! Who bullied you?!”

Gin just facepalms.

-

“Nami sure has some strange friends,” Choo says.

After Luffy and Sanji got on their knees to apologize to the traumatized sea cow, they became fast friends. Sanji and Gin stare as Luffy starts sea cow rodeo riding, while Yosaku and Johnny squeak at every fishman that comes too close. 

The Fishmen are getting way too amused by the two bounty hunters’ jittery reactions, and they've started playing Peek-a-boo.

By the end of it, Johnny and Yosaku look like they’ve lost ten years of their life.

“The captain is Luffy-kun, then there’s Sanji-kun, and Gin-kun. Those two aren’t members, but they’re friends,” Nojiko introduces them. “The rest are back at Doctor Nako’s place, but they’ve also got pirate hunter Zoro and one more, Usopp-kun.”

“Hehh,” Choo says, “so, which one broke Kuroobi’s jaw?”

“Wait, what?” Nojiko swirls on the ray-fishman in the corner, suddenly noticing the darkening bruise at the man’s chin. “Woah. Who did that, was it the pirate hunter?”

“No, it was the longnose,” Kuroobi answers. 

Choo does a double-take. “The longnose?!” he asks. “I saw him. Seriously, you let that guy land a hit on you?”

“How about _you_ try facing the longnose before you talk, Choo.”

-

“WOAH! You’re a fishman too! You look like an eel!” Luffy exclaims, because he needs to establish that every fishman around him is a fishman, apparently.

“I’m a merman. A goatsbeard brotula merman. It’s a little different from an eel,” Aladine explains in his greeting with all the patience of a man talking to a child, resting his trident over the crook of his arm. “It is an honour to meet you.”

“A goat? You’re a goat?!”

“...Something like that.”

Sanji smokes. No hand is extended, so he doesn’t offer one either. “Nice to meet you. Heard you’re a shitty big deal in the Grand Line?”

Johnny’s soul escapes him. Yosaku screams. He wants to go home.

Aladine laughs good naturedly. “Something like that.”

Sanji’s eyebrow twitches. Judging by the mirroring responses-- Aladine’s pretty much treating him like a kid. And he doesn’t quite like the implications of that. It’s one thing to treat Luffy like a kid, and a totally different thing to treat _Sanji_ like one.

Sure, Aladine probably has an unimaginable bounty, and Sanji’s not dumb enough to think he can beat the merman in an actual fight-- but still. 

Aladine grinned at him. 

Sanji thinks he wants to grill some brotula for dinner tonight.

“C”mon, don’t look at me all angry like that,” Aladine says cheerily at Sanji, “I can tell all of you have great potential and I respect that. You’re just very endearing to me.” 

Sanji raises an eyebrow. “I’m not angry,” he says.

Aladine grins, like he knows better.

Sanji _really_ wants to grill brotula for dinner tonight.

-

* * *

-

“It might’ve been Old man Zeff.”

The two are sitting outside on the bench, side by side, speaking in hushed tones

Nami’s jaw drops. “You _told_ him?”

Usopp holds a hand up to stop the girl before she mauls him alive, “in my defence, I’m blind. It’s tough to hide Haki from a veteran when I’m literally counting on it to have sea legs or legs at all.”

Nami groans, “I spent half a year with Whitebeard and I didn’t tell him anything!”

“I’m not a scoundrel like you.”

“I will break your nose, Usopp.”

“I apologize from the bottom of my soul.”

They sigh in unison. Nami brushes her hair back behind her ear. 

“Hey, Nami,” Usopp speaks up, tone more sullen this time as he leans in closer for a serious whisper. “...have you dealt with _that_ yet?”

And Nami leans onto Usopp’s back, closing her eyes on Usopp’s shoulder. The boy traces a letter on Nami’s finger-- a faint B, slow and unnoticeable, but Nami knows what it means easily.

“I couldn’t,” she admits. “I wasn’t close enough to Oyaji to warn them about it. They just told me that I’d get used to him, because I’m new. And I couldn’t stay long enough to thwart it. I didn’t go there to fix it to begin with, so I didn’t plan things out.”

Usopp’s fist closes.

“His Haki is better than mine, so I couldn’t do anything about him on my own,” Nami says. “And now my Den Den won’t reach over the Red Line.”

Usopp sighs. “Countermeasures?” he prompts.

“Striking when the time is right,” she tells him. “We don’t know the exact time-- but it’s around now. I’m going to ask Aladine-chan to go over and check things out, but we can only hope for the best to ripple out since we can’t be there ourselves.”

Silence runs between them.

“I’m sure you did what you could,” Usopp says, closing his eyes and steadily tapping on Nami’s fingers at an unrhythmical pace. “Question is-- what now?” 

If they truly want to change the future, they should be changing further than just their adventures. They should be causing world-scale ripples that could upset the balance of everything much earlier, much more differently. 

“Maybe I should’ve joined the revolutionaries this time,” Usopp considers. 

Because if they were truly putting their all into changing the future, working on another side would be the easiest way to get through it. Especially the revolutionaries-- that’s the side that needed the most support now.

And yet, both Nami and Usopp chose to cling to the Strawhats, like selfish bastards wishing only for their own happiness and pretending to forget the inevitable future in favour of sweet memories with once-dead comrades.

“Should I have stayed with the Whitebeards?” Nami asks rhetorically.

And Usopp doesn’t answer.

Because no one knows. 

No one knows how things could have turned out if they went big and apart in the first place, focusing all their energy into a greater future. Maybe things would already be different. Maybe the world could already be changed.

“Do you think we’re selfish?” Usopp asks. “We could be doing something so great. And yet, we’re here, wasting our time.”

Nami closes her fingers-- her flesh hand, over Usopp’s.

“Maybe,” she whispers.

They lean on each other, silently. Their breathing in tandem and their eyes closed in serenity-- they stay like that. 

Maybe it’s fine to waste their time and do nothing.

They’ve lost this nonchalance once already, they know how precious it is.

-

* * *

-

It was evening now, and the villagers held a little festival to party with the Sun Pirates’ arrival and news of Nami’s departure. 

Luffy was out in the village, because all the food was free and he was trying to find raw ham melon with no luck. 

Zoro was having a delightful drinking game with Kuroobi, Sanji was on a food venture, and Nami had gone to visit her mother’s grave-- so Usopp was by the alley with his bird enjoying the cacophony of the crowd and revelling in peace.

With Gin.

“Uh,” Usopp starts nervously, “nice to meet ya properly, I guess.”

Luffy had strapped the former Krieg pirate to Usopp out of nowhere, with strict orders to ‘keep an eye on him ok Sanji said he was sick’ before running right off.

Seriously, did Luffy think the blind kid had any power to stop Gin if the Man-demon was _seriously_ trying to run away?

“...Yeah,” Gin responds. 

It’s awkward. But Gin isn’t bolting so maybe conversation is okay.

“So, poison?” Usopp asks.

He feels Gin’s presence shuffle a little further away, and he doesn’t respond.

So Usopp runs his fingers through Kinoko’s fur and smiles. “Y’know, I know a man who was submerged into deadly poison, from the roots of his hair-- to the depths of his bones! He was on the verge of death by the time anyone found him.”

Gin makes a scoffing sound.

Usopp continues talking. “When we asked him later on, _how_ he survived to tell the tale-- he said he stumbled upon a paradise filled with _Okama_ , right in the pits of hell!”

Surprisingly, that got a laugh out of Gin. 

Usopp smiles victoriously. 

“He said--” with a high, squeaky voice, “--the Queen of New-Kama Kingdom stabbed me with the miracle elixir of the legends!” he cleared his throat to get his low, dramatic voice back, “so in exchange for _ten years_ of his life, he lived!”

“Ten years?” 

“Yes, ten years!”

There’s a silent pause. Then Kinoko caws through the awkward silence, because the little shit thought that’d be appropriate. They both burst into exasperated laughter at that.

“That’s the most ridiculous conversation starter I’ve ever had the misery of experiencing,” Gin says, and Usopp feels him move to sit directly opposite him. 

Usopp hums, “well, it worked, didn’t it?”

Gin takes a moment before humming as well. “It sure did.”

When they spoke again, it was of their journey here, the journey before here-- and it was all about Luffy and Zoro, their crazy rampages thus far, and what they’d have in store therein. Usopp also introduced Kinoko halfway through.

“Are you _sure_ I can’t escape?” Gin asks, not for the first time in their conversation.

Usopp chuckles. “You can try.”

“Was that a threat?” 

“Please don’t kill me, I’m just a blind boy trying to live with my ugly pet bird.”

Gin scoffs. “Liar.”

Usopp laughs. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

-

“Luffy-kun, was it?” 

Luffy turns around to see Aladine sitting by the alley, out of the way of most of the party but still enjoying a mug of booze.

“Whuzzit, goat-eel guy?” the boy asks through a mouthful of meat.

Aladine chuckles at the nickname. “How is Nami on your voyage?” asks the merman, taking a sip. He sets a set of meat beside him, to which Luffy delightfully scoops up into his endlessly wide mouth. “Is she happy?”

“Nami?” he questions. “Of course she’s happy. Why wouldn’t she be?”

Aladine smiles through his mug. “Is that so? That’s a relief.”

Luffy stares curiously at the merman. “You’re a weird old guy, aren’t ya. You talk for a little, and then you don’t talk. What’re you doing in the corner like this? Trying to act cool? Benn always did that.”

Aladine raises his eyebrow at the name, but dismisses it as a common name. “What can I say, I’m not much of a talker. I may have the authority, but I’m not a people person, you see.”

Luffy blinks. “What a person people?”

Aladine just looks at him and bursts into laughter.

Luffy squawks, because that’s exactly what Shanks does when he doesn’t want to answer Luffy’s questions-- not because it’s a dumb question in partcularly, but because he’s an asshole like that. He makes an offended noise. 

“Goat-eel guy, you’re mean!”

Aladine laughs harder.

-

“So Usopp bruised your jaw? Seriously?”

“I _was_ telling him that he’d gotten rusty, chu!”

Sanji, ever the fearless deviant, decided to tease Kuroobi about it. Choo had joined in, cheeks flushed from drunkenness.

Zoro can see the growing irritation in Kuroobi’s movements-- but as expected from a martial arts master-- he kept his composure and simply took an angry sip of his ale.

“He might be blind, but I must admit, his grasp on Haki far surpasses mine,” Kuroobi says, humbly. “I let my guard down where I should not have.”

Choo burps, “haki, huh. Never thought we’d see that here in the East.”

Zoro and Sanji share a confused glance, the latter a little more so.

“Haki?” Sanji asks.

Zoro hums, “so Haki’s really a big deal out there?”

“Wait, what’s Haki?” Sanji interrupts.

“It’s essential for survival in the Grand Line,” Kuroobi says, his eyes casting to the side steadily. “It doesn’t matter if you’re blind, deaf, or missing two limbs. As long as your Haki is disciplined, you stand a greater chance in any battle.”

Sanji blinks at that. “Survival in the Grand Line? How did our longnosed blindie get that power, then? He’s never left the East.”

“Some people are just naturals,” Choo says with a shrug. “Rare in the East, but even Gold Roger heralded from the East, so what can we say…”

“Wait,” Kuroobi interrupts, “he’s never left the East? That’s impossible.”

“Oh, you sore loser," Choo teases.

"I'm not!" Kuroobi finally snaps, "Choo, you're drunk! That's enough liquor for you!"

Choo whines, “I’m fiiiiiiiine!” before slipping right past Kuroobi’s punch. He laughs. “Your Observation is rusty, Kuro!”

“It’s not! Stop that stupid drunken fist of yours!” Kuroobi snaps, “we all know you’ve been hanging out with Hyouzou for that! What have I told you about him?!”

“That he’s a bad guy and I shouldn’t go near him. I know, _mom_.”

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!”

Zoro takes another sip of his booze.

At least the fishmen were good drinking buddies. 

Sanji squints, still skeptical, but at this point of drunkenness, there wasn’t a fish around that wanted to answer his questions.

(So in the end, what _is_ Haki?)

Honestly, Zoro wants a proper answer to that, too. Usopp and Nami were both so vague about it that he was getting rather frustrated.

-

“So, I heard you’ve brought friends over, Nami.”

The girl stands up quickly, turning around in surprise. “Gen-san?!”

The man is seated on a wheelchair with Nojiko pushing him up the hill. His usual police uniform was nowhere to be seen-- he was wearing a strangely unfitting button-up left open over his bandages, and Nami can’t help but feel it’s off.

Her smile falls when her eyes land on his leg stump.

“What, this?” Genzo doesn’t miss her glance. “It’s nothing. It’s a shame you won’t get to see it when I get the prosthetic done, but now you and I can have something in common, don’t you think?”

Nami bit her lips, but the smile came anyways. Setting her metal arm at her hip, she sighs. “Don’t you think it’s about time you retired from sheriff duties, Gen-san?”

Genzo scoffs, “never!”

Nojiko pouts behind them, “I’m on Nami’s side with this. We have the Fishmen to turn to now.”

Genzo feigns a jaw-dropping gasp, “both my daughters have turned against me. My life is over now, they’re in their rebellious phase! How miserable.”

“Don’t be a drama queen,” Nojiko chides.

They laugh synchronously. 

They make space beside Bellemere’s grave, and Genzo’s wheelchair is pushed adjacent to it, the girls sitting by the little bed of flowers. The wind blows strong in the night, so Nami brushes her hair back against her ear, breathing in.

This would be their last night together here, enjoying their time as a family.

Nami spun tales about their adventures thus far-- about the times Luffy would race a bird across the horizon only to sink into the sea and get fished out by a fuming Zoro-- about the times Zoro would sleep through dumbbell falling on his head, but would wake up when Usopp leaned a little too close to the stairs.

Each story made Nojiko laugh a little brighter, and Genzo would always find the pettiest things to whine about. 

“I found my _comrades_ ,” she admits to Bellemere. “They’re unhinged, they’re hopeless-- but I’m one of them too. They’d be dead without me!”

Nojiko giggles at that. “I honestly think you’re more than they deserve.”

Genzo leaps to agree, but he’s stuck on his wheelchair so he just leans really far toward them over the chair, “of course she is! My Nami is the _best_ in the world! Not a million or billion beris is worth her!”

Nami feels the sudden urge to tell them that, in fact, she is worth about a few billion in the future simply because of her world map-- but she keeps it to herself.

She puts a hand on the gravestone.

“I’ll be happy,” she promises to the wind, to the soil, and to the soul. “I’m sure Bellemere-san will be there with me the whole way, right? I’ll be fine.”

Genzo turns away with a defiant huff. “If that captain of yours makes you cry, I’ll personally run over to that young man and kill him myself!”

Nami grins. 

She turns behind her.

“You hear that, captain?” she hollers.

Nojiko and Genzo swirl around, startled-- to see Luffy in the very near distance, hunks of meat in his hand. He had been staring at the three for what seemed to be a while now, accidentally eavesdropping. 

He grins widely. 

“Loud and clear!”

Then he turns around, suddenly wondering when the festival got so far behind him. 

“By the way, pinwheel-ossan, your pinwheel is REALLY COOL!”

He waves a gleeful goodbye at the three, then continues his marvelous misadventure of the raw-ham-melon scavenger, that will, inevitably, end in failure if Nami’s hunch has anything to say about it.

Nami turns back to her father figure. “He’s adorable, don’t you think?”

Genzo immediately flips, “what? NO! Nami, you are NOT--”

“I didn’t mean it that way, Gen-san!” Nami bursts into laughter, looking at her sister, “I'm allowed to look at the menu without wanting to take a bite. What do you think, Nojiko?”

Nojiko smirks. “Not my type, but I wouldn’t mind a cutie like that.”

Genzo explodes. “I SAID NO! Seriously, you guys take after Bellemere in all the worst qualities possible!”

-

* * *

-

It’s the break of dawn when Gin wakes up from the chronic ache in his chest.

Groaning, he untangles himself from the mess of Luffy (because those things are only fifty percent limbs) before stretching out the kinks in his joints. 

The village had partied all night, and the morning was uncomfortably chilly. Everything seemed to be coated in one humid layer of dew and mist. He rubs at his face in an attempt to wake himself up a little, grumbling through the throes of the pain in his senses.

(Wait.)

He turns to the side. 

Luffy is sleeping in a mess of barrels, and Zoro was beside them, legs hooked around Usopp’s. Sanji was on the other side, sleep muttering something about shitty rubber thieves.

(Isn’t this the perfect opportunity to run away?)

He takes one step away.

Yeah, he really should run away now while he has the chance. These guys were really good kids, he really liked them-- but truth be told, he just wasn’t in the right state of mind or physical condition to join them on their adventures.

Luffy was just hanging onto him out of respect for his old crew’s wishes, after all. Gin himself didn’t particularly… deserve to be in this dynamic. He could sort of feel it.

So, fists clenched and resolve gained, he steps out of the alley...

...and immediately, he’s met with a facefull of _bird_ and feathers and _everything else unpleasant about avian anatomy_ at seven in the morning.

“@*&^%!!!”

He screeches in a language he never even knew existed, the shock throwing his soul right out of him. By the time he pries the animal out of his face, he’s already going through all the steps in his head for a good roasted bird.

“What the--” he notices the ring around its feet, “you’re Usopp’s bird, just fucking great.”

(He is not going to be stopped from his escape attempts by a fucking bird.)

(...or is he?)

He turns around. Seems like he wasn’t as loud as he’d thought, because none of them seemed to be awake yet.

The bird makes a proud little huff as it (she?) settles on Gin’s arm, preening its feathers a little before hopping along the man’s forearm.

It’s a strange feeling, having an animal just climb over him like he’s harmless. Gin’s only seen birds do it to corpses, so maybe this bird is trying to tell him that he’s dying-- “Ow!” he yelps, when the bird pecks at his cheek sharply.

Before he’d even realized, the bird was just making herself comfortable in his hair.

“No, get off. I’m leaving this island already, so go back to your owner,” he hisses at it, reaching for it over his head-- only to get picked in the hand and almost lose a finger.

Gin was losing his patience. Is he seriously being thwarted by a bird?!

“You little shit get off my head!”

“SQUAWK!” came the defiant response.

-

When Nami wakes up an hour later, she decides to take a walk by the river bank.

There, she finds Gin sitting on a large rock, thinking deeply to himself as he gazed into the river, a melancholic look on his face. His shirt and bandanna are presumably washed and hung by a branch to dry.

(What was he thinking about? About his former crew? About Luffy's offer?)

In his topless glory, Nami sees the blue freckles sprinkled across his body, from his collarbone to his shoulders to his forearms-- _that just couldn’t be natural_. 

Sanji had told them he inhaled and barely survived poison, so perhaps that was the mark it left.

More importantly, she fixed her gaze on the bird resting in the nest of his hair.

Even Kinoko looks like she went through a rinse and shake, but she was still sitting there with regality and determination. Nami guesses that the guy tried to get rid of the bird by swimming in the river, only to fail.

Suddenly, Gin looks less like a contemplative man of maturity, and much more like a brooding boy pouting in irritation.

Needless to say, Nami bursts out into laughter.

Their eyes meet, and Nami stops abruptly, a little embarrassed by her vulgar show. 

Ah well.

“Gin, right? Good morning.”

-

"You're telling me you made it halfway across the Grand Line, came back twice, went over the Red Line on the other side and returned-- all in the span of a little less than two years?"

"To be fair, I didn't make any unnecessary island stops."

"And you were on the sea the entire time?!"

“Oh crap, I forgot that the sea's more dangerous than the land.”

Gin has a bird stuck on his head, an irritated itch in his lungs, and a girl speaking nonsense beside him. What has his life come to?

He shrugs his shirt back on, but leaves the jacket hanging on the branch.

Nami sits down beside him on another stone, and Gin has to look away.

Unlike yesterday’s top and jeans, she’s wearing a tanktop and shorts-- leaving the connections of her metal pars in full exposure, her hair sliding over her shoulders comfortably. 

(She really does look like a village girl when she dresses like that. Maybe she covers up simply to hide her metal parts?)

Seriously, Gin has heard that she’s a veteran, but he didn’t expect this.

Nami had been gallivanting across the perilous seas like it was a joke. She was a Whitebeard Pirate, a crew of one of the Four Emperors of the sea, a party only heard in myths too far away to sound relevant.

Gin almost feels inclined to get angry at it-- but the fault lies in him. She’s not making fun of him, he and the Don he once worshipped were just _that_ pathetic. 

(It’s so frustrating.)

“What’s all that lightning you did?” he questions. He’s been wondering about it since he landed on that little house on the hill (wait, what about the house? Are we going to forget about the house?).

“It’s called the Clima Tact,” Nami says. She hooks out a three piece baton and assembles them in the air. “It’s my weapon. Weather Science.”

Gin squints at that. “Weather… science?”

Nami chuckles. “In the Grand Line, common sense makes no sense!” she says, as if that was a legitimate sentence to say, “don’t worry, you’ll get used to it soon.”

Gin grimaces. “Why do all of you assume I’m joining permanently?”

Nami disassembles her staff and tucks it on her belt again. “Everyone doesn’t want to join at first, don’t worry. But the greatest captains don’t quite let you leave after they’ve got their eye on you, y’know? Whitebeard was like that with me.”

Gin hums at that. 

Wait, something doesn’t add up. 

“Wait, where does the longnose fit in that story?” Gin realizes, “were you two together in that two year journey? You’ve known him for really long, right?”

Instead of answering, Nami smiles.

“If I explained all that, it’ll get too confusing, don’t you think?” she says.

Gin stares at her. Obnoxious, misleading types like her were usually people that Gin would immediately kill for being annoying-- after all, he was known as the Man-Demon for a reason, and Gin always found it easier to teach insolence a lesson.

But if he did anything, Sanji would probably kick him to next year, so maybe not.

Nami whistles, “I see your bloodlust is still going strong.” Gin turns to her in surprise, and Nami smiles, leaning into her hand, elbows resting on her knees. “I thought mister scary Man-Demon mellowed out after meeting our cute little captain, you know?”

Gin’s hands itch for his tonfas, but they’re hidden under the deck of the Going Merry and much too far away to weaponize right now. Maybe that rock over there…

Nami giggles.

She stands up. “Wanna fight?” she suggests and Gin’s face lights up. “Hand to hand, no weapons.”

He raises his eyebrow. Nami may be a Whitebeard, and Gin may be severely impaired by the poison in his veins, but it really doesn’t take that much to know how to take down another person. 

He stands up anyways, flexing his wrist. “Don’t underestimate me.”

Nami grins.

Gin sets his eyes on her.

“But before we start, can you get this stupid bird off of me?”

“Wait, you mean Noko-chan isn’t there because you like her?”

“NO?!”

-

* * *

-

It’s sunrise now, and the boys are at the tangerine grove. Sanji’s helping a few of the village men and fishmen transfer tangerine trees onto the Merry. 

Usopp sits out of this one.

The purple-haired lady notices him as she takes a break from tidying up the house. It was in rubble now, but most of the furniture is intact. There aren’t a lot of valuables in there to begin with, other than memories and a few pictures. 

“So you’re Usopp-kun?” she steps forward, taking notice of his barefooted state. 

“Nojiko-san, was it?” He greets her. “Ah, so you’re the reason why my bird smells like honey in a tangerine grove.”

Nojiko leans forward. “You have quite the sharp nose, don’t you?”

Usopp huffs proudly, “haven’t you heard? I once tracked down my companions on the other end of the desert, with just the smell of the perfume she wore!” 

Nojiko chuckles at that. “I’m sure you did.”

Usopp pouts. “And the saga of no one believing me continues…”

Nojiko sits down right beside Usopp, less than an inch away. Usopp flinches slightly, not quite expecting that-- Nojiko has always been the bold, touchy type-- Nami was like that too, but she was always too much of a tomboy so Nojiko was better at it.

(No, that’s not the problem.)

(There’s only one reason these sisters would get near you.)

“Nojiko-san, even if you steal my wallet, it’s empty,” Usopp warns her with all the resigned intonation of someone that’s been swindled out of his purehearted boyhood emotions too many times.

Nojiko whines in defeat. “Ah, you got me.”

Usopp sighs. “Like sister, like sister…”

Nojiko observes the boy. Not once looking her way-- understandable, he’s blind after all-- but Usopp didn’t budge even when Nojiko came much too close to be comfortable. Such, he flinched, but he stayed perfectly still.

She’s read Nami long enough to know that Usopp is holding back. Holding back because, even though he’s uncomfortable with the distance, disturbed by the suspicious contact-- he knows that Nojiko means no harm.

It’s the reflex of a person that has learned not to trust for too long in the past, and is now trying his hardest to come back to the safer, harmless present. 

So Nojiko moves away. 

Usopp may be wary and attentive, but he’s a little too kind. Just like Nami.

She grins and stands up. “Take care of Nami for me, okay?”

She knows her sister’s in safe hands.

Usopp smiles a little, “of course we will. We’re _nakama_ , after all.”

-

“Oh, you’re one of Nami’s friends. What are you doing all the way out here?” Aladine notices Gin walking over to the bay of Arlong Park. 

Everyone was out to guard the perimeters or help Nami load their pirate ship, so only Aladine is here now.

Gin, with a bird on his head still, makes a gurgling noise. He’s wearing his short-sleeved shirt, his jacket in his arms. 

“I’m trying to find a way to swim away from this island and that crazy crew while I still can,” he says, because it sounds so incredulous he wasn’t going to bother sugarcoating it anyhow anymore. He’s too tired for this.

Aladine stares at him. Then he turns to Kinoko, and looks back at the boy.

“Ah, I see. Best of luck to you, then,” he says, in all seriousness despite the disbelieving implications. Aladine has seen more incredulity in the Grand Line before, so he’s not going to retort on this one. “I will be taking my leave now, so do bid your captain a farewell in my place.”

“He’s not my--” Gin hesitates for a moment.

Aladine laughs at that, arms crossed. “Ds are always incredibly attachable, stubborn, and hard to look away from. I’m sure he’ll grow on you,” he assures. 

Gin isn’t sure why he can’t find the words to deny it again. He just bites his lip and looks away in defiance. Man if he had his tonfas, he’d be fighting right now. Maybe. He’s tired so maybe not. 

(Dammit he is _not_ getting soft! He’s just… tired from the poison. Yeah.)

It’s only when he hears the splash and Aladine is gone, that he wonders what the Fishman Vice-Captain could be heading toward, rushing away from his base without his crew. 

He sighs.

Maybe swimming across the Grand Line is no big deal for a pirate like that… what next, is a human going to be able to swim through the Calm Belt too? 

(When he asks Nami about it later, Nami actually laughs in his face.)

(He hates that witch. Why does he bother asking her anything? He knows she won’t answer him.)

There’s a sea cow in this part of the ocean, so swimming out is definitely a no. Guess he’ll go look for a rowboat somewhere else…

“How long are you going to stay on my head?”

Three defiant caws.

Gin, unfortunately, does not speak bird-- and any attempt at pulling the bird away is met with retaliation in the form of deadly bird claws gouging into his skull, so he gives up on it for this hour.

“I finally got rid of the clingy monkey, and now I get the sticky bird instead?” he sighs. 

When will he get a break?

-

* * *

-

“Oh, young man with the blond hair over there, I’ve got fresh fish if you need any.”

The grocers in the morning market are all incredibly social people, and Sanji really feels quite at home in this sort of environment. 

“Oh, really? What’s the best you’ve got?,” he approaches the store, taking one last drag of his cigarette before stubbing it out on a trash can nearby. “Come to think of it, you guys get along with the fishmen but you still eat fish, huh?”

The grocer chuckles warmly, “now now lad, the fishmen _do_ take offense in being compared to fishes, y’know?”

“Seriously?”

“I mean, think of it this way-- we’re literally just smart, less hairy monkeys to them, but they don’t call us monkeys, do they?”

“Ah.”

It’s an interesting way to look at it, and Sanji had honestly never quite cared if whatever he said offended anyone. He grew up in a restaurant with an A grade in inelegance, had a diploma in swearing, and a bachelor’s degree in pissing everyone off. 

It’s far too late to redeem Sanji’s personality from literally not giving a shit about anything that isn’t female.

But well, Hachi had been a nice guy yesterday and his takoyaki was delicious, so Sanji will _try_ not to treat them as things on his chopping block anymore.

Try.

Maybe. 

“Speaking of which, I saw your bandanna pal walking toward Arlong Park this morning,” a vegetable grocer strikes up a conversation. “He looks pretty sick, so are you guys sure you don’t want Nako to take a look at him?”

“Well, if he was gonna die, he’d be dead by now,” Sanji hums. 

Come to think of it, he didn’t see the guy around when he woke up. Maybe he ran off? Well, Sanji wouldn’t put it past the guy to run off since that was his intention this entire time, but if Luffy let the guy go, it’s on _Luffy_ if Gin’s missing.

His condition isn’t all that stable yet, and Gin is obviously a hater of being perceived in weakness, so like a stray cat, he’s probably run off to hide. If his condition worsens… well, it probably won’t. Maybe. 

“Was anyone with him?” Sanji asks anyway, not because he’s worried, absolutely not, but because he wants to know how whiny Luffy will be about it.

“Well, the bird,” someone mentions.

Sanji pauses.

“Ah,” he says, “don’t worry about it, that bird’s the most territorial little shit I’ve ever met. Anyways, let’s look at the fishes.”

Gin’s in perfectly capable hands.

Sanji knows the terror of that bird better than anyone else on the ship, after all.

“Speaking of that-- you guys got a clothing store open this early?”

-

“Zorooooo!!”

Luffy latches right onto his First Mate from three miles away.

Zoro holds the little, cross-shaped knife against the sun to observe the curve-- when he hears the yell, his grip on the hilt tightens, startled. He doesn’t manage to stop the short, absolutely-not-a-squeak from escaping his throat when Luffy rockets at him.

Thankfully, the force wasn’t enough to throw them off the cliffside, but it really rattled his injuries enough to make him cringe.

“What, Luffy?” he asks, his tone irritated but it probably didn’t sound as angry as he thought because his captain is still grinning over his shoulder. 

Zoro sheathes Kogatana, wrapping the cord around his wrist because his captain is being one necklace too many for him right now.

“The old guy said he wanted to change your bandages, so I came to get you!”

“I thought Nami was getting her tattoo done so I couldn’t go in?”

“She’s done already!”

“It’s not that fast.”

“Zoro’s slow, so Nami said to come get you or you'll get lost.”

“Oh, that witch is picking a fight.”

He picks up his sword, getting up. Luffy just keeps hanging onto him, like a limpet hitching a ride. Zoro doesn’t brush him off.

“Zoro, it’s that way.”

“I know, dammit.”

“Zoro, no. I said, _that_ way.”

“I said I know, dammit.”

“Zoro, are you an idiot?”

“Shut up!”

-

"Usopp, you have to see this."

"I hate to break it to you, Nami, but--"

Papers are shoved in Usopp’s face, and Usopp wants desperately for his next line to be _‘wow, a piece of paper’_ , but he doesn’t say it yet.

Because there are _two_.

Promptly, he corrects himself.

“Wow, _two_ pieces of paper,” he says, immediately ducking sharply, to dodge Nami’s fist. The texture of the paper is rough and grainy, so it’s definitely a wanted poster. “Did someone else get one aside from Luffy?”

“No, one of those is Gin’s,” Nami explains, “he got a raise from twelve to eighteen for assaulting Commodore Pudding-puddle.”

“I did what?” came the confused voice beside them.

“And the other one is mine,” Nami continues, ignoring the question, “they were holding mine off for a long time anyways. I’m at twenty-five mil.”

Usopp hums. That’s impressive for East Blue, but it’s really paltry for a Grand Line veteran. Ah well, Nami specializes in being undercover, so it makes sense. It’s still a big deal for this side of the world, so...

**Wait.**

_What?_

“Where’s Luffy’s,” it doesn’t come out as a question, and it ends up sounding more like a demand. 

Because _excuse me_? You’re telling me our captain doesn’t have a bounty but two in our crew of six already have above average bounties for the east? 

And of all things, the only girl in the group has the highest bounty in all of East Blue? Ah, no offense to girls of course. But _what_?

“Exactly,” Nami says, “maybe I should have let Luffy destroy an island before we got here. Or told him to beat up Pringle-pimple for me instead. What else didn’t he do again?”

Gin sips on his tea. 

This Honey Tangerine tea is really good. 

“Maybe you should’ve asked him to destroy Arlong Park?”

“No no, that’s war against the Sun Pirates and Jinbei-chan will get angry at me.”

Gin does not hear anything. He does not.

(Yes he absolutely does.)

He stands up and smashes his teacup against the floor. Usopp and Nami turn to him. The bird on his head makes a very robotic and long ‘caaaaaaww’. Gin sits down.

Nami’s face scrunches up in intense sympathy, and Usopp actually facepalms.

"Anyways, this is really bad. Can't you find a way? Like is there a nearby government flag we can shoot or a nearby Celestial Dragon we can punch?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Usopp. People that important aren't in the East Blue. We need to find a King or something. Wanna drop by Goa?"

Gin is starting to wish he died from the poison.


	18. shaky winds, waters, and wills.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They leave Conomi. 
> 
> Gin reconsiders his spot on this crew, and a role is named for him, though he's skeptical about it just yet. Nami plots their next course of action, and Zoro is trying to move forward from his little setback.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I deeply regret being unable to bring about the popular demand of "hey, can they actually go raid Goa?", but next chapter is a strange mini adventure to make up for the lack of Stelly-punching. What is it about, well there's a small teaser in this chapter o.o 
> 
> anyways HI GUYS I LOVE YALL ❤︎❤︎ ENJOY THE CHAPTER!!

“What happened to you guys?”

Johnny and Yosaku look like they’ve gotten the worst sleep of their lives. Clothing disheveled, dark bags under their eyes--

“Are you guys imitating Gin?”

“OBVIOUSLY NOT!!”

They were at the port, ready to sail.

“Anyways,” Johnny says, placating Yosaku before he goes on a rant about scary drunk fishmen and horror movie situations, “it’s been nice meeting you again, Zoro-aniki, but we’re really overstayed our welcome. We’ll go our own way from here.”

Zoro hums, leaning over the railing of the Merry. “What, really? Well, it really wasn’t a problem for us, though.”

“No, no, we’ve been in your kindness long enough!” Yosaku insists, “we need to be independent! Seeing Usopp-aniki and Luffy-aniki has made us very sure of that now!”

Then, in a muttered voice, Johnny adds, “we’ll go crazy if we stay here any longer.”

Zoro raises an eyebrow, “what was that?”

“Nothing, nothing!” Yosaku assures.

“We’re bounty hunters, anyways. It’s better if we find our own way from here,” Johnny says, and they both move into their cool-guy poses, “it’s good bye now, but may we meet again in the future.”

Zoro leans his chin into his palm, smiling at that. 

They’ve always been two clingbugs he didn’t mind having around, but seeing them willingly cast off to grow their own legs made him feel a little proud of them.

“Well, good luck on that, whatever you do, I guess.” 

“Same to you, Anikis!”

Beside him, Gin leans against the railing. He’s looking at his own wanted poster, a thumb running across the number eight in 18 million. 

His picture’s just his usual uninviting, indifferent mugshot, and his prestige is just as terrible as always-- maybe worse. He’s gone from being known as Krieg’s underdog right up into a rabid one. 

(He didn’t read that article fully, but the reports all say he’s no longer a Krieg pirate. He’s not sure how to feel about it.)

(His bounty is higher than Krieg’s now. He’s not sure how to feel about this, either.)

“You sure you don’t want to make one last break for freedom?” Zoro says in an almost teasing manner, and Gin retaliates with a swift swing of his fist against Zoro’s shin.

Zoro _screeches,_ very shortly, curling into his knee for a moment-- before the next punch is thrown and Gin dodges with a large swerve to the side.

All the while, Kinoko has a very comfortable roller coaster ride on top of Gin’s head.

-

Monkey D. Luffy is currently throwing a tantrum.

“Why did Nami get oneee! This isn’t fair! I’m the Captain of the crew! The Captain!!”

“Yes, _captain_ , but you haven’t done anything yet,” Sanji says, dusting off his hands from the final bag of flour he had to move into the galley. 

“I beat up Don Pringles.”

“They’re blaming that on Gin.”

“What?! NO FAIR!”

Cue baby whining. Sanji scowls at the octopus tangle of limbs and high-pitched wailing in the air, and he feels the sudden, undying urge to just _step_.

“Luffy?” Usopp calls from afar, his voice strangely lilting like a mother talking sweetly to her child, “do me a favour and help me read the newspapers.”

“Ehhhhh?!”

“C’mon, captain, help a blind guy out. You can read, right?”

Luffy pouts, “yeah I can read!” he gets up, scrambling for the newspaper in Usopp’s hand before sitting down angrily beside the sharpshooter, “uh,” he squints, “must- mister- mystery man… did a mystery thing...”

“Really? What else?”

“Reading-- leading? A mystery word… something something...pirate.”

Sanji watches as Luffy is impressively distracted from his tantrum, working intensely to decipher the news article about himself that he’s somehow butchering. 

Usopp had already gotten his tools out, shearing down an oddly-shaped wooden carving with the sanding machine. He’s only half listening to Luffy, but it’s enough to entertain the boy.

 _Wow_ , Sanji thinks, _Usopp’s good at taking care of kids._

Then he realizes. _Wait a minute, that means my captain is an absolute child!_

“Is there really no quick way to get him a bounty now?” Sanji says, crouching down and talking beside Usopp’s ear where the captain can’t hear. “He’s going to be miserable for the whole week.” 

Usopp hums, absent-mindedly, “Nami’s working on it.”

“Nami-san’s working on _what_?” 

“Yeah,” is Usopp’s noncommittal response. 

“Answer my question.”

“Uhh-- WAIT NOOO SANJI! My Kabuto MK VII! NOOO!”

-

The fishmen are there to see her off when Nami departs.

That doesn’t exactly spare them from Nami’s final wallet-stealing stunt, though. 

In fact, only Kuroobi had been wise enough to stand away from the chaos. His overly cautious manner finally came in handy, and he was going to hold this against Choo for the next month as a retaliation for the fishman’s obnoxious teasing the evening prior.

When Nami lands on the deck, she lands with a pile of thick wallets and a bright, beaming grin on her face.

The reaction on the ship is a healthy mixture of ‘what the fuck’, ‘what the fuck’, and ‘oh Nami-san is so beautiful’, bracket three exclamation marks. 

Gin is obviously the former, but at this point, he’s not going to retort anymore. 

Nami waves at the island until they've gone over the horizon, and by then, her cheeks are tired. It doesn’t stop her from smiling at the crew, though. “Sanji-kun, get the booze out, we’re toasting.”

“Huh, isn’t it usually the captain that calls for it?” Gin raises an eyebrow.

Almost immediately as he says it, Luffy punches his arms into the air with a declaration. “Booze! We’re celebrating!!”

“Nevermind.”

The worst thing about the situation was probably how Sanji is _already_ in the middle of the deck with a barrel and beer mugs, like he’d seen this coming ages ago. 

Gin knows that this crew is small and their stock is currently full, but as a former first mate of a huge fleet, he’s very well aware that rationing food is better than lavishing on it. 

Sure, they should eat it before it goes bad but _even so,_ he’s not a fan of meaningless parties such as this one. They already drank a whole village dry yesterday and somehow they’re _still_ up for drinking? 

“This is still a terrible way to ration resources.”

“Yes, _mother_ ,” Sanji sneers at him. 

Gin makes his way toward the cabin where his tonfas are kept. In honour of Sanji being a painfully nice guy, he’s not going to murder him. Instead, Gin’s going to smash a hole in the deck in retaliation. 

“C’mon, Gin!” and here comes Luffy, the rubber arms of doom, and Gin suddenly feels like he’s wearing the world’s most uncomfortable boiler suit with all the loops of arms around himself. “It’s a toast! You have to be here!”

“It’s a waste of booze.”

“NOoooo! TOast! C’mooon!” 

Gin did not sign up for a baby captain, but it’s what he ended up with. He regrets everything. 

He’s tugged into the center, taking a mug. Kinoko is there too, sitting her fat butt in the center of the makeshift table, squinting birdily like some avian sage. 

“Alright then!” Luffy bounces onto his feet, lifting his mug. “All of us are here now! So to our new comrades, CHEERS!”

Gin has to admit, he thinks this childish partying is fine too.

(Well, all things considered, it’s fun.)

He could drink to his heart’s content, because he didn’t need to spend every waking hour making sure the ship ran, making sure the crew was trained, making sure they were on a course, and making sure the captain held authority.

Here, no one cares about that. Things are done in leisure, and the journey is enjoyed more often than large progress is made. 

Unlike his days as the Commander of the Krieg pirates-- here, he could unwind. He could be a child among the children, and live without worry.

(Living without worry, huh.)

(Once upon a time, that had been his _dream_.)

And maybe, just _maybe_ , Gin wants himself to think, just for a while… that on this ship, he can go for it again.

For days he can just sleep his worries away, without leaving one eye open. 

For a life without the constant requirement of a murderer’s nightly vigilance.

-

“What are you doing?”

The seas are calm, the winds are choppy, and the News Coo has raised their prices. Nami’s pretty miffed about the latter two, but she’ll enjoy the peace while she can.

Except, Usopp is making a mess of carving wood on the deck and Nami’s concerned about wooden shards flying around in the breeze. What if it gets in someone’s eyes? It won’t be sanitary to have food nearby either, and with the erratic wind direction, that just might be possible. 

“Making a bow,” Usopp responds, thumb running around the edge. 

Nami’s expression scrunch into confusion. “Well, that’s new.”

“So is that gigantic battle axe in the female cabin, but you don’t see me talking about it,” is Usopp’s immediate, sarcastic response.

Nami frowns, “Usopp, be real with me. Are you actually blind or are you just screwing with all of us?”

“...Find out in the next chapter of Usopp’s East Blue adventures.”

Nami spins her batons.

Usopp scrambles to his feet, “Zoro, save me!”

Well, all jokes aside, Nami sits down beside Usopp to look over the materials. “I think you’ll need better bowstrings if you want it to be useful outside this sea,” she suggests. “Why the sudden new arsenal, though?”

“Why the sudden gigantic battle axe?”

“It was a gift form Haruta,” Nami hisses at him, evidently irritated. “And I, unlike you, have the ability to wield it.”

Usopp scowls at that, “I’m perfectly capable at archery.”

“Usopp, you’re _blind,_ ” Nami says, disbelief in her tone.

Usopp frowns, like he’s offended at this betrayal of trust. He looks into the sky, “oh, almighty aiming god, can I become an archer?” 

Kinoko makes a long caw.

Usopp promptly translates, like he’s proving a point, “the almighty aiming god says yes,” in an obnoxious matter-of-fact tone.

Nami groans, “Noko-chan, don’t encourage him!!”

-

* * *

-

Gin stares incredulously at the luxurious meal in the galley.

“Sanji, this is a--”

“--terrible way to organize resources, yeah I get it you shithead. Just sit down and eat.”

Gin has his tonfas with him this time, so nothing stops him from putting a hole into the wall. Usopp even makes a sad whimpering noise when it happens.

And Gin is just about _done_ with this.

He throws his hands into the air. “Oh I’ve had enough! What if an emergency happens and we need to stretch out our food supply?! Don’t just use all you have carelessly!”

Gin’s got the entire Krieg annihilation starvation issue set out in trauma file number five-hundred and thirty, and his entire seaman experience just screams _hell fucking no_ to the five star meal before him. 

Sure, he’ll eat it if it’s there, but what the _fuck_ Sanji? 

They have no idea how long it’ll take before they get to the next island, and who knows if they’ll be able to restock as much as they did on Cocoyashi with two bounties on the crew! 

So Gin tugs Sanji out of the door, closes it, and there the arguing begins.

-

“Don’t just cook everything you find! Think of what’s perishable and what’s got a longer shelf life!” 

Seeing all this food on the table just _hurts_ his guilty conscience. Gin’s never seen that much food for so little people in his entire goddamn life.

“Don’t underestimate Luffy’s stomach, you dipshit,” Sanji returns with equal ire, though his swearing has the least heat in the entire exchange, “that’s _my_ job on this ship. You don’t tell the chef how to cook his meals, got it?”

Sanji’s job as the cook-- make sure nutrients are well balanced, prevent food-related illnesses on the ship, manage the food stock, and et cetera. 

But here’s Gin, the currently jobless member of the crew, sticking his nose in.

It’s not as if Sanji and Gin are on bad terms in any meaning of the situation. In fact, if there’s someone on the crew Gin would die happily for, it would be Sanji because of the debt he still doesn’t believe he’s repaid.

And no matter how much anyone denies it, Gin definitely has the most experience in sailing than the rest of them. Aside from Nami and Usopp’s mysterious situation, of course.

Sanji would have had a similar amount of sea-time, but Gin is older, and he had been First Mate of Krieg. He’s got the commanding and navigational experience that Sanji, chore boy and kitchen apprentice then sous chef, did not have.

“Sailing on the Baratie and sailing on a pirate ship are entirely different things,” Gin snaps back lowly, “what’s your sailing experience? Or have you been in nothing but restaurants your entire life?”

Sanji twitches at that. “Don’t push your luck, you little shit,” he hisses, “I sailed on a cruise ship when I was younger.”

Gin crosses his arms, “that means you have no experience making exact amounts of food for small amounts of people.”

Sanji tuts. 

“Hit the nail on the head, didn’t I?” Gin mutters. “You think that since Strawhat’s a glutton, you can just cook till everyone’s full and Luffy’ll deal with the leftovers?” 

Sanji clicks his tongue. Seems like that was right, too.

Gin grabs the chef by the collar. “Pirates don’t get as much food stock and we don’t have a lot of opportunities for supply runs. You don’t think of it all in the same mindset as you had on the Baratie!”

Sanji keeps a hand on Gin’s, glaring firmly. Gin might be right, but Sanji’s not one to let anyone walk all over him. They’re not even at the Baratie anymore-- his final fence was shattered and he could go wild all over again. 

“How about you cool your head for one shitty second before I toss you overboard?!” Sanji snarls.

And just a little bit of him realizes that he _did_ get something from his biology, after all. 

His temper. His tendency for violence. 

(It’s all there, obscured but definitely _there_.)

(And it makes him so angry that he’s ignored that history for so long and guess what? Someone here can actually make that part of him come back out.)

(Two. Two people.)

And Gin has the gall to scoff. “You know that’s only doing me a favour, right?”

 _That’s it_. 

“Shut up, you suicidal edgelord!” Sanji smashes his forehead right into Gin’s.

-

It got ugly really fast, and eventually, because the others kept staring at them instead of helping, Kinoko came down from her perch to stop the scramble for pantry ownership.

(Luffy won.)

-

* * *

-

Last time around, there were three major factors in Luffy’s early bounty earning.

And that was him taking down the big three of East Blue in tandem: **Buggy the Clown, Foul Play Don Krieg, and Saw-Toothed Arlong**.

This time around, the third factor in the equation are the Sun Pirates instead of Arlong himself. Luffy didn’t take down the Sun Pirates this time, and instead, he drew two top executives with high bounties to his side. 

“Of all things, they think I _defected_ from Oyaji!” Nami sounds positively offended at the implication, a mug of sake in her hands as she sits on the deck. 

Usopp picks up the bottle and refills her mug, because a drunkenly ranting Nami is a Nami you don’t defy, even if the moon is high in the sky and they’re supposed to be the lookout for the night. 

(It’s okay, Usopp has his Haki stretched out.)

“Could you believe that? Not even Luffy is that suicidal!” she rants. Then she scowls, “wait, actually, he is. Not the point!”

Monkey D Luffy, the mysterious crew-stealing pirate, is definitely on the Marines’ radar. All that’s left is to actually get his danger levels and his picture set, and who knows, he might break another record on his own.

“They’re not wrong about _me_ betraying the Don, though.”

They turn up to see Gin, apparently not as asleep as they all thought. For a moment, Usopp was really glad that they weren’t chatting about future-specific things today.

Anyways, Usopp gestures with his hand, and Kinoko makes her way from the railing toward the galley.

“But they just assumed _you_ were the one to cause the whole mess! Isn’t that rude?” Nami whines. “Life of a pirate-- getting blamed for everything under the sun! Geez!”

Gin settles down beside them so they sit in an almost circle. Kinoko returns with a tea cup and Usopp pours out some sake for the Man-Demon. 

“It’s true that I’m bitter, having to take Strawhat’s credit from him,” he admits, downing it all in one shot, “but it’s nothing to get drunk over.”

“Says you, then chugs,” Usopp grimaces, receiving the cup again to pour out another fill. 

Seems like he’s the only functioning lookout tonight, and _he’s_ the blind one. _It’s over. This ship is doomed._

Gin looks tired-- he _sounds_ tired, but none of them ask why he’s awake, none of them tell him to go back to sleep.

(Because they understand.)

“So, how does it feel to have the second highest bounty in East Blue, Gin?” Nami asks.

Gin scoffs instead of answering, and Nami just laughs. She’s too drunk to bother chasing for an answer, and Usopp can feel Gin’s internal conflict without words.

So Usopp changes the subject.

“Are we headed for Loguetown?” Usopp asks.

No one misses the way Gin flinches at the mention of it, but they don’t react to it.

“No,” Nami says, her tone a little somber. “The winds are against us for at least the next week, you know how that place is-- it opens when it wants to, and spits us out when it feels like it. We’re better off loitering for now.”

Gin takes a sip of his sake. 

“You guys talk like it’s alive.”

Usopp suppresses a groan, “oh, you have no idea.”

Nami sighs. “Don’t be a drama queen, Usopp,” she chides. Then she turns to Gin, “it’s not exactly alive-- but well, it’s definitely unnatural. It has clear weather just in time for a ship to come in, but the moment the ship heads toward the Grand Line--”

Gin straightens, remembering something, “a storm will brew?”

Nami smiles. “Yes!” she says, “and it’s one of the first mysteries of the Grand Line-- because only those that follow the storm can find the lighthouse.”

Gin has to put down his cup, jaw dropped. 

He did know about the unnatural storm because he remembers yelling his throat out at everyone on Don Krieg’s fleet to get their asses in gear-- but he didn’t specifically know that was a necessary parcel of the path.

“It’s not all that hard to get past the storm in the first place-- this is just the Grand Line’s first way of weeding out the cowards of the four blues, y’know?” Nami says, raising her metal arm in a show of guts. “Like, go for it at its worst, or you’re not even worth the entrance! Or something.”

Usopp chuckles at that, a fond memory of tearful pleading and strong gales suddenly in his head.

He takes his first large gulp of sake for the night.

“Anyways, if we’re going to go through Reverse Mountain again--” Usopp pauses when Gin drops his cup.

The Man-demon fumbles for it and manages to salvage most of it, but Nami and Usopp are both staring at him now.

And their expressions curl up in some sort of scrutinizing pity.

Gin would’ve busted their heads for daring to offer some form of empathy, but he only manages to look away, pretending to drink a little more.

Usopp turns back to Nami. 

“Money?” Usopp asks.

Nami hums, “a little over twenty thousand beri right now, with all the wallets I stole.”

“I guess our first step now is to find a place to treasure hunt?” Usopp says, “right. What happened to our plan to raid Goa?”

Nami facepalms, “if you really want to go with it, _you_ talk to Luffy about it.”

Usopp frowns, “yeah, my bad.”

Captain has final rules on where they go, after all. And Captain said Grand Line, so Grand Line it has to be. 

(Luffy definitely wouldn't want to go all the way back home for some funny revenge-- Luffy had never cared for the king of Goa Kingdom and it will stay that way until Sabo punches them himself.)

Nami shrugs. “To begin with, we can’t really waste that much time going back and coming here again-- it’ll be trouble if we miss out on meeting Uncle Gon, right?”

Usopp chokes on his sake.

Gin looks confused. “Uncle Gon?”

Usopp is dying. 

With all the casual movements of a master, Nami slides a cup of water in his direction.

“Don’t mind him, just an inside joke of ours,” she says, turning to Gin. “But we should probably go somewhere nearby so we can go into Loguetown right as the storm lets up… which will probably be in a week or so.”

And suddenly, Gin finds himself looking at a much-more detailed sea chart than the chart Nami has displayed in the writing room.

The entirety of East Blue, down to the waves to the line of the Calm Belt and many more islands than Gin has found himself raiding as a Krieg Pirate.

A completed navigational chart of East Blue.

Gin stares at it, in shock. He can’t see well in the darkness-- but as a sailor, he knows. He knows just how valuable this map is.

(Did Nami _draw t_ his?)

“Ah, can you see?” Nami asks. “Should I light a candle?”

 _Oh, Nami can see in the dark? And Usopp’s blind, so he doesn’t need a candle._ Gin found that rather interesting-- after all, they acted like they were used to espionage and strategy meetings in the middle of the night. 

(Well, it’s not Gin’s business.)

“I’m fine, the moonlight is enough,” he says, because he doesn’t want to be an inconvenience for the two. He’s just a bold little eavesdropper stealing a drink, after all.

“We’re around here,” she gestures around the sea between Conomi and Loguetown, “we’re edging on the low tidal areas of the Red Line, so the only islands around here are a Marine base, and Baratie in the further distance.” 

Gin makes a confused noise. “Then what’s this?” he gestures at a large piece of land marked with a red X right by their current location.

Nami pauses at that.

“Oh,” she says, “I forgot I drew that in. Wait, this isn’t our usual map? Oops. Sorry, I just noticed,” she slaps her forehead. 

“Are you drunk?”

“No, I don’t get drunk,” Nami sounds offended. Then she hiccups.

“It just makes her a little giddy and she likes to lose herself in the high,” Usopp says, pouring out a glass of water for the girl, who snatches it. “She has the amazing ability to become sober immediately when she wants to, but yeah, she’s drunk.” 

“I said I’m _not_.”

“Okay, want another glass of water, Nami?”

“Yeah.”

“That will be one thousand beri.”

“I’ll throw you overboard, Usopp!!”

Gin watches Nami get up right there, lunging at the sharpshooter who only laughs, scrambling away with minimal noise, drunken play fighting, and lots of hair-pulling. He’s now entirely convinced that the sanest creature on this ship is the bird.

But this is good sake, with a nice moon out.

And hell, this navigation chart is a really good one. He picks it up and observes the expert strokes, because it seems like the strategy meeting is over for today.

He squints at the red X, noticing a little name at the edge of the island.

“Oykot Kingdom?”

And though it was faint, there was a trail drawn over it, leading from the sland to the red line and across a section of small, unnamed islands.

Gin could make out the name if he squinted.

“...Tequila Wolf?”

-

Zoro wakes up to see Nami and Usopp snoring on the deck, side by side but an inch apart. There was a thin blanket laid out over them, and Gin was seated by the mast, reading a map and supposedly taking lookout duty.

Zoro sits down and takes a sip on the sake as well.

And then Sanji wakes up, and cue the angry screaming of ‘how dare you let Nami-san sleep on the cold wooden deck?!’

And then Zoro drags Usopp to his hammock, Nami crawls back to her bed, the sake is confiscated, the end.

-

* * *

-

“We really didn’t get anywhere with our talking yesterday, did we?”

It’s the morning, Nami’s hair is a mess from the late night drinking. Usopp is asleep by the mast, and Zoro is awake at the crow’s nest. Well, Usopp took night watch yesterday so that makes sense. 

“We really didn’t,” Gin acknowledges.

He hands Nami her map back. He definitely didn’t spend all night admiring the artistry. 

“Well, Usopp’s not really interested in listening to my plan because he’s not the kind to navigate-- obviously, I’m glad someone else here can read a map for once,” Nami sighs, rubbing a metal arm against her nape, “wait. What was your job on Krieg’s?”

Gin raises an eyebrow. “First Mate. Swashbuckler if we’re reaching.”

“Swashbuckler-- that’s the jack-of-all-trades fighter, right?” Nami asks. Then she prompts, “and on this ship?”

“Kidnap victim, as far as I’m concerned.”

“Ah, you’re still at that stage huh,” Nami says, and it speaks volumes about their captain with just how unfazed she is. “Luffy doesn’t usually recruit without your job in mind, so guess we’ll have to solve it out. Any specific skills?”

“Murder.”

Nami deadpans, “next.”

Sanji is giving them weird looks from the stairs.

Gin hums. The crew is small, so everyone seemed to have distinct jobs on the ship, with none overlapping in the slightest. Zoro, the Swordsman and rather unofficial First Mate, seems to be the only combat-focused job so far.

On a fleet like Krieg’s you’d have a squad of navigators, a team of cooks, a shifting system of lookouts and everyone else were cabin workers until battle calls. 

It’s not at all unusual for there to be crew members who are just specialized fighters, without any other skills necessary for voyage. Gin was content being one of those fighters.

“Alright, let’s think of it this way,” Nami raises her hands, “look at Luffy,” she gestures at the idiot currently lounging on the sheep head, “think. What skills do you have that Luffy doesn’t?”

Gin squints at that. “Logic? And, common sense, self-preservation instincts--”

“Don’t bullshit, Gin,” Sanji warns. “We all know your self-preservation instincts are shittier than Luffy’s, don’t lie.”

“Shut up, Sanji. Like you can talk.”

He’s heard enough horror stories about Strawhat from Usopp, and to this day he still wonders if half of those lies were truths. One just couldn’t ascertain authenticity here.

Was this a job interview or something? Did it really matter if he had a job or not? He could just be a cabin worker if Luffy really wanted to put a name to it.

“I was Quartermaster, so I’m capable of taking command-- not that I’d need to do that here” he says, trying to scrounge up all the information off the top of his head, “I’ve got basic navigational knowledge, some sailing knowledge, a bit of ship maintenance and grunt work skills.”

And Nami stares at him, eyes slowly beginning to _sparkle_ with an impressed vigor.

“You can navigate?” she says, grabbing the man by the shoulders and instantly triggering his fight or flight response out of the sheer self-preservation skills Gin swears he has. Nami’s eyes are _sparkling_ , “you can command? Take responsibility?”

And for some reason, Gin feels like _responsibility_ was the key word there. 

He grimaces. 

(Exactly how much has Nami suffered to be so grateful at the aspect of a sane human being with common sense?)

Gin didn’t particularly mention anything special, either. All those were common skills even a practiced _sailor_ or _fisherman_ would have. 

“You were the Quartermaster!” Nami says, beaming, hands held together in glee. “Gin, you can be our Quartermaster too then!”

This catches some attention. Zoro had been on his way down the rigging, and Luffy at some point, turned his head around from the figurehead. 

“Huh?”

Usopp’s awake now, rubbing his eyes before momentarily remembering that his vision wouldn’t clear up either way. 

Everyone’s staring straight at Gin, including Sanji. 

But Gin’s the most confused one here.

“Hey Nami, whuzzat?” Strawhat speaks up, and Nami smiles, like she’d just come up with the best idea on the planet.

Being a quartermaster would mean that you had the most power on the ship, second to the Captain himself. It made you acting captain when the captain was out of commission, and it was definitely the most important job on the ship.

Yes, that means Zoro, the chief mate, would usually take that job.

As far as Gin knows, this ship didn’t have a clear one-- the burden of the actual work is shared out among Nami and Sanji for navigation and cooper duties, while Zoro and Usopp handle the guarding and organization of the ship.. 

Putting it on an actual person with experience, like Gin, would certainly make a lot of sense, but at the same time…

“No,” he puts it out there firmly. “I’m the newest member of the ship. I’m the last person you should be putting that huge responsibility on.”

And much more, Gin was a traitor that turned his blade on several members of this crew more than once. There was no way he should get any trust yet.

Luffy pouts, “but then who else is gonna do it? We’re all idiots except Nami.”

“Hey,” came three offended voices.

“What? He’s right.”

“Nami!”

“And Nami’s doing a perfectly good job at it,” Gin hisses at him. “Anything Nami can’t do, Sanji and Zoro can do. You literally don’t need an actual quartermaster on this ship.”

Luffy grins, hands on his hips, “then we can just call you that, you don’t have to do anything!”

“That defeats the entire purpose!”

-

Sucks to be Gin, because in the next few hours, Sanji has him in the storage to help him keep numbers on their stock.

“No! You can’t keep the water for so long, it’s going to go to shit in seconds! We should’ve stocked up on more rum on Cocoyashi!” Gin realizes very quickly, throwing his arms in the air. “Shit, how much sake have we already drunk?”

Sanji stares from the doorway. This was a lot more interesting than he initially thought it would be.

If Gin was any younger or any less jaded, he might’ve thrown a tantrum by now.

“And look what I told you, we have five days of fresh meat right out of our stock in one day! Of course, I trust you can keep us on a good long voyage with everything else in the pantry, but why did you touch the jerky! Those can last us!”

Sanji deadpans, “woah, you sound _just_ like Carne. You’re _definitely_ a Quartermaster.”

“Shut up!” Gin snaps, “that barrel is not leaking but the bolts are worn out and damp! Do you want the fruit to go bad?? Get them out! And-- who did the math in this part? How could you fucking mess up addition and subtraction?”

Sanji raises a thumbs up, “add a few more curse words and you’ll fit right in.”

“I said shut up about that! God we are all going to fucking die on this ship!”

-

* * *

-

“You want advice from _me_?” 

Usopp is in disbelief. He’s sitting by the tangerines on the rear deck, and Zoro is there, along with all his dumbbells, his sword, and Kogatana. 

Zoro huffs.

Usopp blinks just once, in a different confusion.

“I can’t call myself a swordmaster if my sword’s durability is all I’m worth,” he says. “Teach me that Haki thing.”

As expected from the training maniac, he’s humble enough to immediately seek help for what he’s lacking.

Except… what Zoro needs is Armament, and Usopp absolutely sucks at that.

Well, Usopp knows the basics, so the first thing they have to do is focus on it, perhaps. Zoro can get there on his own pretty easy.

(Come to think of it, when did Zoro unlock his Haki? Usopp learned of it much later, but even Luffy only had it around Sabaody, or a little before that.)

(...Huh? You need Haki to cut steel, right?)

Zoro’s been doing it forever, so Usopp never quite registered it as Haki. But it _was_ Haki, wasn’t it? At least, the untamed, unhardened version...

(Holy _shit_ , 60 million starting bounty had a _very_ good reason, didn’t it? The Marines knew about Zoro’s potential since Alabasta!) 

Zoro’s determination is awkward, but Usopp loves that about him. It’s exactly what Luffy saw in Zoro his whole life-- that unfaltering, unwavering part of him that holds onto things once he’s decided to take them. 

Usopp respects that.

“Nami, lend me your Clima Tact!” Usopp says. 

The girl had been sitting in the center of the deck on her lawn chair. At the call, she reaches under the table, retrieves the three pieces between her fingers, and hurls them upward. 

They’re heavy, so the spinning makes a lot of noise.

Usopp catches one of them easily, swerves so the magnets connect in mid air, and sets the assembled staff before himself, setting himself up for a spar.

He’s no swordsman, but he’s learned enough bojutsu in the Revolutionary Army to get by in close combat.

“It’s not really something that can be explained, but I guess you won’t understand the theory of it anyways,” Usopp chuckles. 

Zoro makes an offended urk at that.

“I guess you’ll figure it out on the way. You’re only using Kogatana?” Usopp asks. He can hear Wadou Ichimonji’s slightly upset voice in the corner, and Kogatana’s soft and uninterested tone before him in Zoro’s hand. 

Zoro nods. Then hums, because Usopp can’t see him nodding. 

“Until I’m worth an actual sword,” he says, and doesn’t elaborate.

Usopp likes that. He smiles a little, running his hand across the straight pole of the staff-- and stops momentarily on a faint dent in the steel, around the middle section.

His eyes widen in surprise..

(Someone actually left a dent on the Clima Tact? On the soul-inforced, special metal? With Nami’s Haki piping through it?)

No no, this isn’t the time to question that. He’ll ask Nami about it later. 

“Well, try defending first,” Usopp prompts Zoro, moving into a fighting stance. “And try dodging more than parrying, or you'll break that little dagger.” 

“Shut up, Usopp.”

And so daily sparring sessions begin. 

-

“What’re they doing?” Sanji wonders out loud. He sets a cup of an orange, fizzy drink in front of Nami, and sighs as Zoro makes an undignified squawk from the rear deck.

“Training?” Gin suggests, because that seems obvious.

He’s lifting a dumbbell on one arm, because Zoro rolls it over and he thought he’d keep his hands busy.

It’s been nearly two days since they’ve left Cocoyashi, and everyone is bored. 

Nami savours her drink. “It’s Haki training,” she says, taking a sip before taking a spoonful of cake and depositing it in Luffy’s mouth.

(Gin jumps. When did Luffy get beside Nami’s chair?!) 

(And why is he just letting himself be fed like that’s supposed to be normal?!)

“Haki?” Sanji asks, planting one foot on Luffy’s head in case the imbecile tries to eat Nami’s food again. “I’ve heard it a few times, but what exactly is it?”

And Gin is interested too. 

If there was something that set Nami and Usopp apart from the rest of them, it was this mildly confident air they exuded despite their disabilities, like they were veterans of decades ago rather than just fighters of a similar experience. 

There was just _something_ about them that emitted the air of a strong fighter, in a different but not much higher caliber than the rest of the crew.

“To put it in simple terms, Haki is willpower,” Nami says. “It lets you see without your eyes, and lets you pierce without a blade… and lets you conquer without saying a word.”

What a riddler.

“I don’t get it,” Sanji says, and Gin echoes it.

“So it’s a mystery power!” thank you, captain.

Nami laughs. 

“Everyone needs to use it someday, but you need to awaken your Haki within yourself-- it’s not something we can force out,” Nami explains, “if there’s someone that’s closest to it right now, it’ll be Zoro. And Zoro knows that, so he’s working on it with Usopp.”

Sanji sounds disgruntled, “that stupid Marimo is gonna get a powerup?! No fair!”

Gin hums, “so I’m guessing Hawk-Eyes uses it too?”

“Mystery power!” Luffy declares, “alright, I'm going to wake up my mystery power too, then! Hey Zoro! It’ll be a race!”

“You idiot, it’s obviously not that easy.” 

Nami sighs at them as they divulge into a screaming competition of ‘obviously I’ll awaken my mystery power first’ to ‘no, I will’, and so on, so forth.

She casts a glance toward Gin.

Gin wasn’t as interested in all this Haki business. He’s busy recollecting himself, reconsidering his goals, reorganizing his priorities, and finding a new path in himself. 

(Is he really worthy of this crew?)

So Nami decides to assure him.

“Remember our spar on Cocoyashi?” Nami reminds him of that morning talk they had. Their first conversation, which divulged into a chat, and then, into a spar to test each other’s strengths.

Gin looks at her.

Nami swirls her cup of juice in her hands, thinking back on her Clima Tact, and the little dent Gin’s tonfa had made that morning.

It was so impressive, Nami actually let her guard down and nearly lost the spar. She probably did-- Gin was just a little stronger in pure fighting prowess, but held back in honour of Sanji’s protectiveness for ladies.

Nami sighs.

“Well, you at least. You already have a headstart on the other boys.”


	19. old kingdoms, old friends, old dreams.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They take a detour before Loguetown.
> 
>  **Exhibit A:** Nami's sister was once friends with a princess?!  
>  **Exhibit B:** Luffy goes exploring, because of course he does.  
>  **Exhibit C:** Sanji gives Gin a long-needed counselling session.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!! ❤️ I'm glad you guys are enjoying this fic, i love you guys so so much I swear T^T 
> 
> so this chapter and maybe half of the next will be a little off-canon detour. There won't be OCs at all, don't worry about that-- and for the few that are wondering, they are not going to Tequila Wolf. I don't have the writing capability to settle that bridge of worms in two chapters I'm sorry
> 
> This little interlude is just for me to put more character development between our cast, for them to have more interaction, and to just settle Gin into a proper strawhat before we go into the Alabasta Saga. 
> 
> That's all I have to say! Lots of love, enjoy the chapter!! ❤️❤️❤️

Nami did not tell Usopp where they were going, and now, Usopp wants to cry.

“Shit, this place looks haunted,” Sanji says. He sets foot on land and, with all his heart, wants to go back up there. “What, was there a war here or something?”

“Yeah, about nineteen years ago,” Nami tells him.

They’re in the ruins of the Oykot Kingdom, where a civil war once destroyed everything between it, and Marine intervention only made things further worse. 

There are two castles, two territories in this kingdom. 

The larger castle, **Asukasa** **Castle** (Akukasa? Asakusa?), was taken over by an ‘unknown force from the World Government’ as a base for the construction of the giant bridge that towered over the fog. 

Even from here, through the fog, they can see the overwhelming shadow of the bridge. It stands taller than a giant in height, extends further than the seas can stretch in their eyes-- the millennium bridge, Tequila Wolf. 

Usopp can see as much as a large, dark blur and its overcast on their area, so he’s sure it looks much more impressive to the others.

“What’s that huge thing?!?” is predictably the first thing Luffy exclaims upon seeing it. 

“Luffy, no,” Nami warns.

Luffy is giving her a look that screams ‘Luffy YES’.

“Luffy, absolutely not,” Usopp emphasizes, though he knows that saying no will only make Luffy go even more.

He straps a little capsule to Kinoko’s feet and lets her fly.

Zoro sets down the anchor, stepping foot onto dry land with Wado Ichimonji at his side and Kogatana hanging like an ornament at his sash, occasionally bumping on Ichimonji’s hilt like a jingle as he walks.

“Doesn’t seem like there’s any point in landing here,” he mutters. “There’s no forests or anything, just trash and debris. Unless we’re going to the bridge.”

“Look, shitty marimo, your kindred,” Sanji says, gesturing at the piles of moss-crusted wreckage.

Zoro kicks broken wood at him.

“We’re not here to restock or anything, I just want to find treasures and books from the abandoned castle over there,” Nami points in another direction. 

It’s the second ruined castle on the farther side of the bridge, and it really _does_ look like no one’s been inside it for decades. 

“That’s **Aznig Castle** ,” Nami says, “we’re going to avoid the bridge entirely, so whatever you do, don’t enter Asukasa territory, okay? We’re going to the _other_ side.” 

And that makes sense.

Most of the slaves are on the bridge itself. What’s down here are mostly patrol, supply transportation, and the information bureau for their building progress.

And Tequila Wolf is only taking up the area around Asakusa-- wait, was it Akusaka? Asukasa? Usopp doesn’t know anymore. Who named these castles?

“Let’s just call that one ‘the stupid pink castle’, and the other one ‘the stupid other castle’,” Zoro speaks up with a tired groan.

Wow, thanks, Zoro. _Which is which? I can’t see._

“Alright then,” Nami picks up from there, “we’re going to the stupid _other_ castle. Do NOT go to the stupid _pink_ castle, alright?”

“Too late, kids, we have a flier already,” Gin says, staring blissfully in defeat at the tiny figure soaring in the distance. 

Nami swears.

Usopp sighs, “I’ll be right back.” 

Kinoko, having been making surveillance rounds around the island, detours toward Luffy. Usopp retrieves his Kabuto, picks up his walking stick, and goes after the boy.

“Ah, Zoro, go with him,” Nami says. And her metal hand slaps against Zoro’s back, the boy making a squawking noise as he’s tossed forward by the force.

Zoro curses. 

“Just go already,” Nami squints at him.

“Geez,” Zoro groans, following after the blind boy.

Gin and Sanji watches them make their way across debris toward the stupid pink castle, and Sanji has to take a drag of his cigarette.

A directionally challenged mosshead, a literally blind idiot, and a mentally stunted brat of a captain. They go towards the _one_ place they are _not_ supposed to go towards.

“Nami-san, is that really okay?”

If Sanji is doubting Nami’s decision, it’s probably worth doubting.

“Nope,” Nami says, without hesitation. “But Usopp can handle it.”

Gin whispers, “are we suicidal?”

And Sanji whispers back, “shit, we might be.”

-

“Can we really leave the Merry here like this?”

Sanji makes sure the sails are drawn up and the anchor is down before they leave the ship in the little obscured cove in the corner of the island.

There are plenty of broken rafts in the area-- this was definitely the evacuation port in times of war, and Sanji could sort of tell.

“It’ll be fine. No one ever comes by this area anymore,” Nami says. 

Meanwhile, Gin shrugs on his new coat. 

It’s a silver bomber jacket, strangely enough, it fits him perfectly. How did Sanji figure out his size? Even Gin didn’t know his own size. 

(He’d always stolen jackets, never bought one.)

(This is definitely the first time he’s been _given_ one.)

“Well, that looks pretty good on you,” Nami approves, looking over him. It’s dark silver, with dark blue details and a red wolf sewn at the chest. It’s slightly different, but pretty similar to his old jacket. 

Plus, it looked much cleaner and much more fitting than the old one.

Meanwhile, Nami had gotten herself a little wardrobe change too. 

A sleeveless top. Her Whitebeard Mark was hidden, but her metal arm and a new tattoo on her left shoulder was in full view. 

She had always worn sleeved shirts until now.

“That’s the one you got on the day we left?” Gin says, referring to the tattoo, remembering how it had been wrapped in bandages to heal until yesterday.

He squints a little when he spots the scar. It’s pretty gruesome.

Nami smiles at that, setting a hand over the wound. “For a village girl, I sure have a lot of tattoos, don’t I?”

Gin shrugs, unimpressed. “Your sister had more.”

Nami laughs, “guess I can’t lose out, huh?”

They turn simultaneously to see Sanji glaring at them (at Gin actually, he’s only glaring at Gin,) with a sort of jealous, _I’m-gonna-cry-blood_ look on his face.

He’s even puffing up his cheeks like he’d just swallowed a lemon.

“You panda bastard, don’t talk to Nami-swan so happily like that when I’m right here!” he whines. 

“Panda?” Gin asks.

Nami snickers, “oh, are you jealous, Sanji-kun?”

“Yes! Very!”

After getting Merry docked in hiding, Nami leads them on their journey toward the castle.

-

The trip toward the castle is quick, simply because they've docked nearby and they actually went on a straight road towards ‘stupid other castle’. 

It’s abandoned, it’s haunted. Sanji didn’t like this place at all-- the floors and walls are a little more than damp, creaking cement and bricks. 

Sanji grimaces at the moss on the wall.

“Seems more like the castle’s been dead for two hundred years rather than twenty,” he mutters, scowling at the wall that comes off like sand as he passes his hand through.

“It’s war,” Gin tells him, like it explains everything.

(And it kinda does.)

They don’t stop to sightsee. Nothing in the castle itself is salvageable due to many years of weathering. It’s a miserable sight-- it’s hard to believe anything here is worth pillaging.

Sanji is certainly curious about some of the kitchen supplies, but he and Gin follow Nami as she pulls a lamp lever down and reveals a secret staircase down into the basement of the castle.

“The basement. No one knew of this, so of course, no one’s been around to steal it yet,” she explains. “It’s a long walk down.”

She even knows where the spare lamps are, and which matches aren’t laced with gunpowder to offset intruders.

Which, Sanji knows, is incredibly suspicious of the girl. 

It’s almost too good to be true, that she just _knew_ where everything was and what the shortest route to the hidden room was. 

“How did you know about this place?” Gin is the one that asks.

Sanji almost wants to box him over the head-- because both of them knew better than to ask something like that. Nami kept her knowledge obscure for a reason, and it’s obviously a sensitive reason for her.

Her answer though, is out of their expectations.

“Nojiko told me,” she says. 

Before they can wonder how her village-bound sister has anything to do with this haunted castle in the middle of the sea, Nami elaborates. 

“Nineteen years ago, Nojiko was friends with the princess of this country, and she learned a lot back then. Not everything was true, but some of it is.”

This makes the two boys freeze in confusion.

“Wait, Nami-san, your big sister… knew the… _who_?” Sanji barely manages the question correctly, “...wait, how even?”

“Conomi is pretty far from here, y’know?” Gin adds. “And if it was that long ago-- she can’t be that much older than you, so was she, three?”

Nami nods immediately, looking as if that was supposed to be common knowledge. “Nojiko and I are both adopted, we’re not from Cocoyashi,” she says, brows raising, “Bellemere-san, picked us up from this very island we’re standing on right now.”

Now _that_ , that earns her two surprised yelps. 

“This is your hometown?!”

"Nojiko-san was friends with a princess?!"

“Huh? Did I not tell you guys?”

-

* * *

-

Usopp climbs over the broken horse cart, avoiding the splintered wood and getting himself on a little higher ground to survey the distance with his Haki.

He’s not wearing shoes.

Zoro stares at him, slightly appalled.

“Zoro-kun, Zoro-kun,” Usopp says, “it’s this way. You know, 12 o’clock. C’mon.”

Zoro’s irked now. “Usopp, admit it. You’re just pretending to be blind, aren’t you?”

Usopp hops off from his perch and lands two feet in front of Zoro. Zoro notes that Usopp lands just beside a beer bottle on the ground, narrowly avoiding an embarrassing fall.

“I had Kinoko fly around just now to spread something into the air. I’m not seeing anything in reality, I’m just using Haki to sense those particles, then I map out the landscape with my head, and fill in the gaps with the sound,” Usopp says.

Zoro makes a face. “What?”

“Yeah, of course you don’t understand,” Usopp turns around. “Ah, Luffy finally landed. He’s definitely going for the castle, since he’s right in front of it. At least he’s not going for the bridge...”

Zoro mumbles, “is that Haki too?”

Usopp grins, “you’re catching on!”

And so the trek continues.

“Zoro, not that way.” 

“How the hell did you know which way I was going?”

“Not that way, either. Look, Zoro, should I hold your hand or something?”

“ _Shut up_.”

-

Luffy finds himself at the palace really quickly.

“What, Ennosuke, you followed me?”

Luffy whines at the bird that lands on his hat. Kinoko gives a resigned huff, like Dadan used to do when Luffy was doing something stupid and she didn’t want to stop him.

Dusting himself off, he admires the pink walls of the stupid pink castle, what was it, Ass Castle? Ass Castle. Wow, it’s so ugly, it reminds him of the palace at Goa.

He went there once by accident. He doesn’t like palaces. They stink.

**(“No Luffy, palaces don’t stink,” he remembers Sabo once telling him, “what you’re smelling here is** **_ventilation_ ** **. We don’t have that in the Gray Terminal, so you might not know, but this is how a clean thing smells.”)**

**(Luffy diagrees, because Makino is clean and Makino doesn’t stink like that.)**

He’s really close to the bridge now, but there’s a whole row of guards along the road. He watches from afar and wonders if he can reach the bridge if he rockets from here.

Hm, probably not. Maybe if he gets somewhere taller?

“Hey, Ennosuke, wanna see who can get up to the bridge first?”

Kinoko gives him a curt caw. 

“What, you don’t wanna race? You loser.”

Caw.

“Oh! The castle is tall! I’ll go there!” is his bright idea, and he trots right past the dozing guards and right into the front door of the castle. 

The doors aren’t locked, that’s great. He forgot to knock, so he makes sure to close the door before continuing on his way.

Manners, manners.

_Ooh, that guy’s jacket is cool! Gin might like that!_

Kinoko rests on his head comfortably, because she can.

-

Usopp is used to this nonsense. He’s quite sure that letting Luffy run off immediately was part of Nami’s master plan in the first place.

Luffy can’t sit still for five seconds, after all. They know that.

Like watching over a puppy on a high table, Usopp is here to make sure Luffy doesn’t rush off the edge. He can play to his heart’s content-- but Usopp will grab him before he heads somewhere he shouldn’t. Like usual. 

Like usual, except this time around, Usopp actually has the ability to play that out.

“She sends the idiots away immediately and grabs only the smart ones with her,” Usopp sighs, realizing the groupings now, “what a witch.”

“Usopp, did you say something?”

“I’m just insulted that Nami thinks I’m part of the idiots.”

“Huh?”

And instead of responding to Zoro’s offended voice, Usopp stops. 

He freezes right there-- and _spins_. He reaches out and drags Zoro to the side, and they duck under a shattered carriage.

Right then, something in the distance creaked.

**_“Huh? I could swear I heard something.”_ **

**_“Must’ve been a rat, you buffoon. Why would anyone be out in this wasteland?”_ **

And they kick the stones as they walk away.

Usopp has his hands over Zoro’s mouth, and Zoro has his arms around both of them, supporting them in case their shelter toppled.

It’s a minute later that Usopp sighs in relief, shoulders loosening.

“We’re getting closer to the castle,” Usopp says, “the guards have increased.”

Zoro hums. “That Haki thing is pretty useful, but we could’ve just punched them.”

“There are too many,” Usopp says. “And trust me, Zoro. You don’t want to be caught by Tequila Wolf. We need to keep our damage down here- we can’t make them drag their forces down here, got it?”

Zoro frowns at that. “You’re being a wimp,” he accuses.

Usopp lets Zoro help him back to his feet, trying not to throw off too much wreckage to make noise. 

“Maybe I am,” Usopp says, “but don’t you know? Cowards always live longer.”

Zoro can’t find it in himself to disagree with that.

-

* * *

-

“Don’t touch that switch, it explodes in contact with human skin.”

“What on earth kind of trap is that?!” 

Nami is enjoying herself, Sanji thinks Nami is beautiful, and Gin is regretting everything. For Gin, that’s almost a constant in his life now.

They make their way down a long basement road.

There aren’t mountains of gold or jewels-- in fact, this secured, hidden room under the castle was in fact the study of a mysterious, nameless man that collected sacred antiques. There are trinkets, tools, books, and journals.

Gin picks out one book from the shelf to find it in perfect condition. Not a ruined page, not a frayed edge. 

“This is our treasure?” Sanji asks, sifting through old paintings on the side. Some of these were pretty good, but he didn't recognize any of the signatures. He’s not some sort of painting connoisseur, so maybe he shouldn’t speak.

“We’re headed to Loguetown, there are plenty of people who will recognize the value of these things,” Nami tells them. 

She wanders around the little room, enjoying the ambience.

“Can you feel it?” she asks them. “The energy.”

And Gin continues looking around the books. Not a speck of dust. As if magic was cast upon this room, everything seemed metaphorically shrouded in a protective layer that prevented rot and rust to taint a single bit of its former glory.

Nami smiles at him, as if she knew what he was sensing, but she knew better.

“This is Haki, too,” she tells them, and they both straighten with attention. “People who put their soul into what they do leave a bit of their will inside of what they treasured.”

Sanji blinks, “you mean, like how people say you can see the spirit of the blacksmith in a good knife?”

“Exactly like that.”

Gin rolls his eyes. “Sure these books and paintings and ornaments are in good condition, but are they themselves worth anything notable?” 

Nami chuckles, “of course. Sell all these to collectors and specialists and auctions, I guarantee you I’ll raise a hundred million beri in no time!”

Gin looks at her with doubt, but who is he to judge the expert haggler?

Sanji whistles at the side, admiring the array of recipes he’s found written in scraps of paper on the ground. It’s a mess, but it’s not destroyed at all. He can salvage some of this. 

Nami’s looking at the desk. She finds a journal, an album, and a log book. She picks up the pendant of a swirly heart that reminds her of Nojiko’s tattoo, and she pockets it. 

Gin continues to look through the books.

**_[ Emerald City ]_ **

Gin stops.

He takes it off the shelf in an excited rush of urgency, opening the book with a brimming interest he can’t hide, flipping through the pages, and instantly divulging in the tale.

No, it’s not a tale. It’s a diary, a biography of this nameless traveller.

“What’s that?”

Gin jumps a little when Sanji is suddenly beside him. 

“Emerald City?” Sanji asks, leaning closer over his shoulder to catch the text. It’s written in the unique tilt of Grand Line Script, so Gin wonders how Sanji can read it. 

(No no, there are more important problems here.)

“You don’t know about Emerald City?” Gin asks, incredulous. 

Sanji blinks, “should I?”

Gin is offended. _How can a man of Sanji’s aspirations not know about the legendary city of dreams?_

“It’s Emerald City-- the perfect land. The El Dorado of the seas!” 

Gin exaggerates, putting it out there like _why don’t you know this? It’s common sense!_ Even though it’s not really. 

“The metropolis of green glass, emeralds, and other jewels. It’s a place so brilliant, so beautiful-- it’s the safe haven of the world!”

Gin has to blush when he suddenly realizes that Sanji is staring at him with mild interest. 

_(Did he just shoot off on a passionate rant about hopes and dreams? That was embarrassing.)_

_(He hasn’t done that since, before Krieg, probably.)_

Emerald City had been a folk story he’d heard in the alleys, passed around like a fairy tale amongst the children of a similar, miserable upbringing.

It was an enchanting tale. For children that have only lived their lives in darkness-- Emerald City was the grace that promised them a place to sleep, so quiet, so safe, they could close both eyes and rest.

He hadn’t thought of it since he became the Man-Demon. 

(But somewhere deep inside, he’s never forgotten.)

(For a child like Gin, who was born into crime and murdered to live, Emerald City was a ray of hope, a fantasy. Liberation from the crimes he never wanted to commit, freedom from the regrets that haunt him in his dreams.)

(A place of peace.)

(Maybe it’s weird that Gin, of all people, dreamed of peace.)

Gin looks away. 

Surprisingly, Nami and Sanji just look on at him with interest, as if they had wanted him to keep talking and were wondering why he stopped.

“What,” Sanji says, his lips curling upward around his cigarette. “So you _can_ be passionate about something. That’s cute.”

Gin feels his face heat up. There it is, the childish teasing!

“Emerald City, huh,” Nami says, admiring the thought, “I’ve heard of it! Just in passing though. Is it a town made of emeralds, like the City of Gold is gold?”

Gin turns his eyes back to the book.

“They say it is, but it might just be figurative,” he says, “but is the City of Gold actually completely made of gold? Or is that figurative too?”

Nami blinks, “well…” she thinks. “Huh? I’m not sure.”

Sanji takes a drag of his cigarette, “wow, it’s so nice to have dreams…” he says, a sarcastic lilt to his voice as he grins smugly at Gin.

Gin snaps, “oh shut up!”

“Gin has dreams, woahhh.”

Gin flusters, “enough!” 

Nami just smiles. Gin chases Sanji around the crusty little study, and Nami can’t help but find it so endearing.

The adventure log of the mysterious man, Khron Corde. 

Last time around when she found the log, she didn’t give it much of a glance-- she just took it and sold it off for the money it was worth. Which was quite a lot.

Even as the girl who had traversed every part of the world, she had never been to Emerald City. Never stepped foot on the lands.

_(She had heard of it, found a clue toward it-- but she stopped herself. She didn't pursue it, didn't try to find it.)_

_(After all, a legendary city doesn't need a place on the map of the world. Just like how the map to One Piece should never exist in the world--_ _There is no value in a journey when the road is a clear, straight line.)_

So she just watches them have fun trying to not murder each other, and she can’t help but enjoy it.

She’s glad that this detour wasn’t in vain.

-

* * *

-

Meanwhile, Luffy is already getting chased by guards.

**_“He’s over there!”_ **

**_“He’s a kid, don’t shoot!”_ **

**_“Capture him alive, he might be from the bridge!”_ **

Seriously, what did any of them expect when they brought him here? Obviously it was to cause trouble, get into trouble, be the trouble. And hopefully, not die.

They were already shooting at him, but the bullets just reflected back at them. 

Kinoko was careful to stay in front of Luffy so she could be covered, but she was also furious. Kinoko makes frantic squawks of absolute anger, plucking at his cheeks as she flies in tandem with his runs.

“Ow ow ow! Ennosuke, stop that!” he yelps, swatting at the bird, “it’s not my fault they’re chasing us!”

Kinoko makes an angry sound, because, apparently, she disagrees with that opinion.

Luffy skids to a stop, and turns around.

“Gomu Gomu no…”

Kinoko flies above him, clawing at the vent cover before plucking it out of there. 

“BAZOOKA!”

The ceiling vent falls on his head, but does next to nothing. He follows the bird up into the pipes, and they bounce away.

**_“He stretched?!”_ **

**_“But Devil Fruit slaves are only in the towers? How did he get out?!”_ **

**_“Do you think he’s from outside?”_ **

**_“But that’s impossible. Report this to the head!”_ **

**_“Should we go after him?”_ **

**_“None of us can fit in those vents! Track him down!”_ **

Luffy frowns a little at that. What, were they talking about, him? They were talking in the same tone all those Goans always used on the Gray Terminal folk.

Man, he already didn’t like them. 

-

Luffy crawls his way to wherever Kinoko felt like hopping, maneuvering around the vents in an almost bored manner.

They find themselves above a room lit with only a lamp.

Luffy peeks down at it-- the room itself was dark and dusty, like a very old storage room filled with crusty shelves and ancient books.

But in the center of it, two hooded figures were seated on the ground, talking to a Den Den Mushi with black skin and a red-patterned shell.

“I honestly can’t figure out what they’re doing. There are no documents, no blueprints, nothing for those purposes-- almost as if the road itself isn’t the priority, they’re just trying to connect the ends as quickly as they can.”

And the Black Den Den Mushi spoke back.

**_“So Oykot was a miss as well? That’s fine. Retrieve anything of worth and regroup for now. We’ll discuss your future movements at a later date.”_ **

His voice was deep, and in the small room, it was resonant.

As the Den Den spoke, the taller hooded figure signed to the smaller. 

Luffy found that strange at first, but he recognized a few hand signs that Ace used to Sabo-- **_regroup (turn around, go the long way back home), be quiet (stay hidden)_ **. 

That’s sign language that all bandits would know.

But there’s no need to use sign language when everyone is hearing the conversation. They’re not even special coded ones, they’re the basic signs. That’s so weird.

“Got it,” the taller one says, and the smaller one repeats.

“Understood.”

And the Den Den Mushi switches off with a _kachack!_

_Looks like a secret meeting or something, that’s pretty cool._ Luffy hums, leaning into his arms with interest. _Is this their hideout?_ They didn’t seem like they were with the ugly guards from just now. 

So when the taller one suddenly froze, Luffy didn’t quite understand. 

Then suddenly he’s getting dragged down from the vents, thrown over a shoulder, and a hand is stuffed over his mouth so he doesn’t make noise.

(Holy _crap_ , he’s getting flashbacks of all those times Ace nearly killed him like this.)

“A kid?!” the taller one-- a Fishman, Luffy notices. A yellow-skinned Fishman. “What’s a kid doing--”

“Ah, wait, Hack-san,” the other one interrupts him. Luffy looks over and sees pink hair. “He’s not an enemy. You can let him go.”

“I knew it, you already sensed him there, didn’t you?” Hack hisses at his companion, looking up before asking again. “You know the kid, Informant?”

“Huh? Uh, yeah.”

Hack lets go of Luffy’s collar, but Luffy doesn’t get up yet. He just stares between the two hooded figures, confusedly.

“...Informant?” Luffy asks. He’s not sure what the word means.

That’s when the shorter figure takes off his hood, revealing a head of pink hair and a goofy smile.

“Hi, Luffy-san!” he says crouching down and extending a hand to help him up. “It’s been a while. Since Alvida, right?”

And Luffy gawks, jaw literally dropping to the floor. “COBY?!”

“Shhhh!!” goes Hack.

**_-_ **

**_This time around, when Luffy meets the little kid called Coby, he’s not short or stout or clumsy. He’s the capable cabin boy on the Alvida Pirates’ ship, little like Luffy but just as strong, and missing the Marine Dreams he once had._ **

**_Not that Luffy would know the difference, of course._ **

**_“So you’re the captain, gathering your own crew? Seems like you were off to a terrible start, with that whirlpool and all.”_ **

**_Luffy pouts. He holds up his hands and tries to sign the words he knows, because Makino always told him that was polite when the person he’s talking to can’t hear._ **

**_“It’s fine, it was just a dinghy anyways.”_ **

**_Luffy notices in curiosity how Coby’s eyes squint at that, almost in disappointment at something he said. (Or didn’t say, perhaps?)_ **

**_A flash of grief passes his face, and the pink-haired boy sighs, before smiling again._ **

**_“Well, I’m glad I met you. After all, you’re the man who’s gonna become the Pirate King, right?”_ **

**_And Luffy grins, “yep, that’s me!”_ **

**_Luffy travels with Coby to Shells Town, and then they part ways at the shore. He’s given directions to the Marine Base where Zoro is kept, and then the next he turns… Coby was gone._ **

**_Luffy had simply shrugged._ **

**_Coby surely had his own adventures to go for, so that was the end of their relationship. Surely if the seas were joined, they will meet again._ **

-

Usopp flinches sharply the moment he enters the palace. The halls are in mayhem, but no one’s noticed them yet.

He has his Haki on full, but careful, because he doesn’t want to overwhelm himself with the number of voices-- but then he feels it.

“What’s wrong?” Zoro asks, and Usopp doesn’t register the question.

He hadn’t noticed it before, because it was screwed down so tightly it was indecipherable-- but this _aura_ , this _voice_.

“...impossible,” he whispers to himself, “no, but why would he be…”

_Here?_

And the second he senses it, it’s gone. Like someone hastily extinguishing a candle light in the night and then covering it with a tarp, it’s vanished completely.

Understandable. Usopp had his Haki on full blast, so he may as well have screamed his presence to any sensitive Haki user.

 _But completely._ It’s normal to compress your voice and hide your presence, but to make it vanish entirely isn’t a feat manageable by normal Haki users.

Usopp’s heart sinks in realization. 

Because _who the hell is capable of entirely extinguishing their own voice?_

It’s scary every time to feel it, _because a missing voice is a dead one_ \-- but Usopp knows-- there are only two people in the world in both timelines that can do that while being alive. 

Two ultimate cowards, even more so than Usopp, with the strength to move mountains when they will for it.

And one of them’s **_Coby_ **.

(That’s definitely him. He’s here-- but why? It just doesn’t make sense. Unless…)

“Usopp! Hey, get a grip!” Zoro is hissing at him now, looking frantically before glancing upwards, “there are guards everywhere! Hey!”

Usopp isn’t even hearing him. “Wait, is it possible? Well, if it’s only me and Nami for now, no doubt there’d be someone else…”

With an angry tut, Zoro turns to the side, punching the wall in frustration. Except, that particular brick of the wall _sinks_ in.

And a secret entrance opens.

Zoro stares at it. “A basement? Ah whatever! Hey, Usopp, let’s go!”

“Huh? What did you do, Zoro? Wait, my walking stick!”

The opening’s already closing, so Zoro grasps Usopp as close to him as possible, dashing past and going down.

The door closes behind them, and the walking stick clatters on the other end.

“Zoro, my walking stick!”

“Geez, we’ll pick it up later, okay?” Zoro groans, “speaking of, are you done daydreaming? Then we gotta go find Luffy!”

Usopp grimaces at that. “Yeah,” he says, taking a few breaths to regain his composure. “Where are we anyway?”

“Hell if I know. It’s dark, I can’t see shit.”

“Ah, that sounds like _such_ an inconvenience.”

“Shut up, Usopp!”

They’re in a narrow line of stairs, absolute darkness leading down to a basement unseen. It’s just enough for Usopp to spread his arms out and be able to touch both walls.

There are steps and nothing else. 

Even without seeing any colour, Usopp knows that what little Zoro can see is fixated on making sure Usopp doesn’t wander out. He’s a grouch, but he’s a nice grouch. 

If they end up falling, Zoro is going to stick to Usopp like a clingbug from tomorrow onwards. Usopp would rather not deal with that. Robin’s had to deal with that last time around and she invented her doppleganger move to avoid him.

Zoro stands guard on a lower step, one arm firmly on Usopp’s and only becoming firmer as Usopp feels around to get a grasp of his surroundings.

“Ow ow ow. You’re going to break my arm,” Usopp warns him, because she steps a little closer to the left and Zoro’s grip on his crushes desperately. 

Usopp finds a hollow in the side-- there's a wooden torch and matches to light it up.

Convenient.

But the matches were dry and the torch was still damp with oil, so that meant that people still used this passageway for something.

Probably not the guards. The guards would’ve brought in a lamp instead of a torch-- it’s like the people using this place wanted to replicate its original form to leave as little traces as they could.

(Oh.)

(The Revolutionary Army.)

“What is it?” Zoro asks, breaking him out of his thoughts again.

And Usopp doesn’t touch the torch. “I guess there’s no helping it,” he says, “I brought a candle, so let’s use that.”

“Why didn’t you bring it out earlier?!”

-

* * *

-

“Huh? Gin, you’re not taking this?”

They’re back at the Merry, no trouble along the way and a full storage of antiques. They move it to the female dorm, because it’s the most spacious area they have aside from the galley. 

Sanji sorts through the books only to find _Emerald City_ under the pile. 

“Huh? Yeah,” Gin says noncommittally, arranging the loose objects in the little chest by the closet. “It’ll probably fetch quite some cash.”

Sanji squints at him, raising the book, “who cares how expensive it is, you want it, right?”

Gin definitely had that slightly gleaming look in his eyes when he was skimming through the first few pages, when he was telling them about the legendary city.

And Sanji knows. It’s the same face Sanji and Zeff always put on when they talk about All Blue, waxing poetic about the sea that may or may not exist.

It’s passion, it’s childlike, and it’s definitely a dream worth chasing.

This was definitely important for that dream-- it’s the first shard of the clues.

Gin looks at the book in Sanji’s hand-- and Sanji definitely intends for him to take it. Gin doesn’t, turning back to his side of the work as if the notion didn’t occur at all.

“I don’t need that nonsense,” he says, shrugging. “Sure, it’s a cool story, but I’m not particularly racing for it or anything. It’s a fairy tale, it’s got little to do with piracy.”

And he sounds resigned, like he’s too old for this.

And that makes Sanji a little pissed. 

“Oh shut your old man act,” is Sanji’s response. “Just keep it and read it or whatever. I’m sure Nami-san won’t mind you taking just one of these.”

Gin waves him off. 

“You’re making a big deal out of nothing, it’s just a book,” he says. 

He stands up, takes the book-- and puts it right back on top of the rest of the stack. 

Then Gin puts a hand on Sanji’s shoulder. “Look, you might be a passionate kind of guy, but I’m not like that. I’m the kind of person that’s fine if I can be alive every day.”

Sanji’s fists tightens. 

_(“All Blue? You still believe in that story? Grow up already, Sanji.”)_

_(“It’s a child’s fairy tale, y’know? Think realistically.”)_

Sanji grabs the book.

He doesn't know what Gin has gone through in his life thus far.

But for Sanji, his dreams have always been his one and only lifeline. When he was trapped underground, locked in a cage, he dreamt of freedom. When he was left alone, scrounging for a new life-- he dreamt of independence. When he could finally fly, he dreamt of the sea at the end of his achievements.

For Sanji, a life without his dreams is a life better off dead.

(His father would agree.)

So he can't relate.

He can't relate to Gin, who thinks dreams are a weight, a burden on his shoulders. Sanji just can't understand someone who would discard his dream just for the chance of living another day. 

He can't understand that shit.

Instead, he picks up the book again.

"Have you heard of the All Blue?"

Gin turns around, and Sanji continues talking.

"It's a legendary sea. They say all four blues convene there-- so fishes of all the seas exist there, at your disposal. It's the dream of every chef in the world," Sanji tells him. Then a moment later he adds, "Obviously, it's my dream, too."

Gin eyes him, not too sure what his point is.

"I owed the Old Man a debt. So I gave up on this dream," Sanji says. "For half of my life I just thought it was fine that I never found that sea. I think that's how you feel too, that you don't really _need_ that dream to live."

"I don't," Gin emphasizes. 

"But, one day, a shithead came by and dragged me off to his pirate crew, here I am," Sanji says, gesturing at the ship.

Gin groans, rolling his eyes. "And your point is?"

"My point is," Sanji tells him, pointing at the man and then himself, "you and I, we were both kidnapped by that absolute shithead. So we're both free now, from the assholes that we were tied to."

Gin doesn't speak at that.

Because there's truth to it. They're free, their pasts are over and tossed away-- from herein, a new life is supposed to begin. Sanji has moved up from a measly sous chef into a Head Chef of his own caliber.

Yet, Gin's still here, not to sure how to discard the Man-demon inside of him.

(Deep inside, he's still a Krieg Pirate.)

(Because he's hesitant. This is the first time he's been given so much safety.)

(This is the first time he's living, not because of himself, but because someone _asked_ him to live.)

(Gin doesn't know how to be a member of this crew.)

(He doesn't know how to live depending on others.)

"I told you, I'm busy just trying to breathe every day," Gin says, stubbornly, driving the thoughts out of his head.

It's dumb, it's dumb. It's all so dumb.

Dreams? Gin's lost those ages ago. All he has left is a little fancy for an old story.

He doesn't need dreams.

"Look, we have that shitty rubber for a captain, and that shitty rubber is there for a reason," Sanji says, "but remember what he told you back on the Baratie? Or is the poison eating up your memory too?"

(What he said to Gin?)

(Which part of that?)

"We're a crew now," Sanji says, because that's obvious. "That means your stupid ass is part of us now. Your dreams are our dreams and your problems are ours, too. Your life isn't Krieg's anymore, you're _ours_ , got it?"

Gin blinks, stunned by that.

_Yes, his life is Luffy's because Luffy saved him... that's how it works, doesn't it? Not that Luffy explicitly says so._

"Not just Luffy's," Sanji emphasizes, and Gin startles at the coincidence. Did Sanji read his mind? "I'm saying your life is ours! Yours, mine, that shitty Marimo and the Longnose, and of course, Nami-swan and the stupid bird! Because in this crew, we look out for each other, we ain't gonna let your dumb ass die out there so easily. Got it?!" 

Sanji steps forward, the book in his hand. He stops two steps before him, and presses the book into Gin's chest. 

"Look, Sanji, I get what you're saying, but--"

"I'm saying that you don't need to worry about living, because we'll _all_ be here to make sure you live!" Sanji says, raising his voice in case volume is what's needed to get the information through that thick skull of his. "You're free to do whatever you want now because you're not _alone!"_

(That.)

(That makes Gin fall completely silent.)

(His eyes wide, his fingers stiff against the cover of the book in his hands.)

"Understand already, you shithead?!" 

When Sanji finally yells that, he's breathing harshly, like he'd just gone for a run. Had he really been ranting that much? Gin doesn't know. Because only the last line is thrumming in his head like a painfully stubborn bell, ringing over and over in an echo.

"You're keeping that book and you're reading it and we aren't selling that. Got it?"

Gin looks at the book in his hands again.

[Emerald City] is in his hands, and the title is emblazoned in crisp, jeweled green across the cover of the book. There's a silver ribbon marker across one of the pages, slightly frayed at the ends.

"Yeah," he says. "I understand now."


	20. I.O.U. a concussion or two.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro's marvelous sense of direction breaks the barriers of logic about three times, Usopp hates prison cells, and Luffy gets captured, of course. 
> 
> Nothing a few rockets and concussions won't fix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh I have been fed ❤︎ I love all of you so much!! T^T I'm glad you guys are enjoying this fic, and seriously I don't say it enough! xD ❤︎❤︎❤︎ please have this chapter as thanks because I'm too socially inept to actually give you my boundless gratitude. We're finally moving into Loguetown next chapter!

Nami is in her birthplace, but it doesn’t really feel like home. 

Sure, she was born in Oykot, but it’s as much her home as Goa would be Luffy’s. It’s just a piece of land, a location, with nothing else to it. Even last time around, Nami found nothing to her name here. 

She had thought she would at least find her last name here, but the Revolutionary Army had been thorough with its cleaning. All documents had been buried and dusted and prayed for. 

She supposed it didn’t matter anyways, so she didn’t bother searching for some this time around too.

She set the ruler on the base of the Merry, hopping over to the ledge on the other end to get a better view of the island. 

Since she’s drawing a new map, that means new latitudes, right? There are limits to charting by eye and ruler, no matter how capable of a charter she is.

She had tried to use her Haki to feel out islands once, but it wasn’t strong enough. Vision was replicable, but it took too much time.

Usopp would offer to do it, but it wasn’t very logical to plot just one island out in maximum detail while leaving other islands in the old quality. It’s not as if Usopp was always with Nami, anyways.

But this time…

“That’s right, if we get Noko-chan to take some pictures from above…” then she could even plot out population densities and mark industrial locations.

It’ll be World Map 2.0, bigger and better! Or something.

“Nami-san, Nami-san, sorry to disturb you while you’re in such an absorbed mood,” Sanji says, “but our three stooges aren’t back yet.”

Nami hums, setting down the pen on her easel, looking through the map once more.

“It’s fine Sanji, let’s just enjoy the ambience before they get back.”

-

“Uh, Nami--” 

Nami looks over and Gin flinches.

“--san,” Gin adds hesitantly. His feet shuffles around nervously, and he hides the book behind him. “I just, uh--”

Sanji stares at him with all the disgusted gaze of a man that’s tired of this dilly-dallying, “just ask her already.” He pokes the man at the back of his knee with his foot. “Hurry up.”

“Oh shut it! I’m doing it, alright?!”

Nami raises an eyebrow at that. If someone’s this nervous to ask her someone, it’s probably about money. Or maybe not, she’s not so sure about the new timeline yet. Gin seems like the type to be nervous to ask for anything at all.

And then he holds up [Emerald City] in his hands.

“Can I… uh…” he looks away, hesitating, “keep this book?”

Nami blinks.

(Oh.)

“Look, I told you that was a stupid question,” Sanji sings, his lips pursing in that subtly mocking way, “listen to this, Nami-san, he thought we weren’t going to let him take it!”

“Shut up, Sanji!” Gin snaps, his face heating up, “it’s our spoils, so I can’t just claim one of them without permission!”

And indeed, that’s protocol. The quartermaster has claim over the storage and loot, but it’s for the ship itself to function. A selfish quartermaster is a dead ship.

Plus, all income and sales goes through the treasurer-- Nami, of course-- and that includes the track of goods taken and sold.

Nami sees Gin asking for permission, and the first thing she realizes is that Gin is a _splendid_ quartermaster, despite everything he says and denies.

Pirates would jump straight for the loot when it’s received. In a more organized crew, the captain gets first pick, followed by the first mate, second mate, so on. In the same way-- when _no one_ is taking loot for themselves, no one should.

Gin knows that, which is why he feels it inappropriate to ask for any at all.

Because he knows they need the money for their voyage herein, and he’s reluctant to compromise any of it without being seen as a slump in their finances.

So Nami chuckles.

Sanji scoffs, “look, even Nami-san is laughing at you.”

Gin’s bright red now, “Oh I get it already, you guys are assholes!” he yells, throwing his hands into the air.

“No, no, nothing like that,” she says. When Gin turns to her, she smiles at him. “It’s just that this is the first time you’ve asked for anything, so I’m just really happy.”

Gin didn’t ask to come on board, Gin didn’t ask to stay.

But he asks for his dreams, and beyond anything, that’s _progress_.

“Of course, you can keep it, Gin,” Nami tells him. “When we get a shelf in the boy’s dorm, you can collect the rest of the series too.”

Gin pauses.

Then he throws the book open to the end. “It’s a series?!”

-

* * *

-

“So, Luffy-san, what are you doing here?”

The three have settled down. Hack gathers their papers while Luffy and Coby sit around to catch up. 

“Nami brought us here to explore!” Luffy says, happily. “Oh, and Nami is my navigator! I got a pretty big crew now! I’ve got Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji and--”

Coby looks to the side a little, thinking about something-- then he looks back.

“So, where is Nami-san now?” he asks.

“She went to the stupid other castle!” Luffy says. “So, Coby, what’re you doing here?”

Coby grins. “You see, I didn’t tell you last time, but I”m actually a super secret spy!” he says excitedly. “You know that bridge over there? It’s actually an evil king’s place, so we’re trying to take it all out from inside!”

And that’s sugarcoating it heavily. Hack grimaces at the side, because Coby’s pretty much talking to a literal kid over there. 

A bird helps him gather up the papers on the ground, and he thanks it.

(When the hell did this bird get in here?)

The bird is on his shoulder now and Hack is a little terrified. 

There’s a ring (a _golden_ ring) around its foot, but it pecks at his hand when he tries to get a closer look. Hack isn’t an expert on birds, but he guesses from the sheen of its fur that it’s a domesticated pet. Maybe it belongs to Luffy.

“Oooh, that’s cool!” Luffy claps his feet, “I was going to go over there! Wanna go?”

Coby shushes him with a grin, “no, Luffy-san, we can’t do that!” he says with a bit of feigned fluster, “it’s a suuuuper secret mission, so we’re playing the waiting game now. You remember the waiting game?”

Luffy nods. 

“We’re almost done waiting, so we can’t rush it!” Coby tells him, “if we manage to do this, I’ll finally be able to play this game I’ve wanted for years-- It’s my dream!” 

Hack considers them. So is that an outright lie or just a very detailed metaphor he’s not so sure how to decode? Hack isn’t sure.

(Somewhere inside, Hack thinks he shouldn’t be listening. Shouldn’t be trying to decode his nonsense, trying to figure him out.)

(Coby is the Informant, and nothing else.)

(Their relationship is strictly professional. It’s not like the friendship he has with Koala-- Coby is an outsider and they both prefer it that way.)

Luffy swings about excitedly. “It’s your dream, huh? Then, I’ll come back and explore this bridge with my crew some other day!” 

Luffy has a strange way of understanding things, and Coby seems to have a perfect grasp on it after many years of dealing with people from the other end of the board.

But it’s impressive. Coby’s acting so flawlessly, it’s hard to remember that he’s deaf. 

Perhaps it’s because Luffy is honest, and everything he expresses is right on his face. Coby doesn’t need much to understand what he’s saying. Though the boy started out signing all he said to help Coby out, he eventually began to forget it.

Someone who can make people so absorbed in what they say is fearsome, in a political sense.

Hack knows that he can’t let go of Coby as an ally. For the Revolutionary Army to achieve their goals, they need Coby on their side.

But they still don’t know if Coby is their best piece on the chessboard, or if it's the other way around. 

“So Luffy-san, can you try and leave the island quietly?”

“Sure!” 

* * *

“Holy crap.”

Usopp stares.

Zoro lets go of him and shuffles around in the slightly orangish darkness, and Usopp can smell dust and wood and rust. Mostly dust, though.

“What’s with all this junk?” Zoro shifts through the mounds of paper in the dimly lit room. 

Usopp keeps staring. 

Zoro turns around, “what’s with that look?”

Usopp throws up his hands in a ‘I’m innocent officer I swear’ motion, sounding mildly offended. “What look? I don’t know what a look is.”

“What do you mean you don’t know what a-- oh. Right, my bad,” Zoro reaches over to set the candle down on a gap in the wall for candlesticks. 

Then he grabs Usopp by the elbow.

“There are papers everywhere. Crusty place,” Zoro mutters.

Papers? In a mansion like this? Usopp tries not to choke on the dust when Zoro brushes it off a surface. 

Zoro gripes about it, and Usopp reaches down.

The dust is thick. Thick enough to coat his fingers with grime-- and Usopp would believe if someone told him it had been left alone for decades.

“Zoro, what’s on this paper?” 

Usopp’s instincts are blaring. 

Because the room is filled with papers, and though they don’t have a voice, he knows there are _tons_ and they’re secured far underground, wherever this is.

“Huh? Uh,” Zoro seems to hesitate for a moment, “I’m not sure. It looks like a contract,” he says. “Can’t read it, but there’s a signature. This stack over here looks like a bill, I recognize some numbers.”

Important documents, as expected. 

It can’t be. The revolutionary army should have been here once already, and they wouldn’t leave important clues like this in the dust. If Hack is here, he should be searching for these.

But if they followed the narrow staircase and went on a straight road they should’ve reached this place too. So why hadn’t they?

...oh. 

Zoro coughs. “Man, it’s dusty here. Let’s find another way out.”

Usopp facepalms.

“Zoro, you defy physics sometimes, you know.”

“Huh?!”

-

Zoro stands by the hallway, fiddling with Kogatana. 

Usopp positions himself in the center of the room and closes his eyes. Peeling off his shoes and planting them firmly on the ground, he snaps his fingers once.

A pause.

Then he snaps his fingers again, a little louder this time. 

Zoro turns away with a huff, strapping Kogatana back by his sash and hearing the little jingle against Ichimonji’s hilt.

Usopp tenses. “Zoro, try to be quiet.”

Zoro’s mouth opens in denial-- but then he stops and turns away, making sure the little ornament didn’t clink this time. 

Man, Usopp’s ears were really sharp. He could probably even hear Zoro’s breathing. Or his earrings now that he thought about it. 

(He’s not pouting, he swears.)

Usopp barely moves. 

He just listens to the echoes of his snaps, and tries to make sense of the sound that comes back. Zoro doesn’t know what he’s looking for, but if he’s trying so hard to look for it, he’s not going to interfere.

And finally, Usopp reacts.

He steps to the left, dodging a stack of papers and then stepping between a row of clay pots. Leaning down before the shelf, he brushes aside a painted scroll on the wall--

\--and reveals a metal safe.

Zoro reacts immediately, “holy shit.” 

He steps forward, kicking aside a vase on his way-- he cringes at the noise. It’s not a very big safe, but it’s solid, well-hidden, and looks important.

“Hey Zoro, you can cut steel yet?”

“What the hell? Of course not.”

Usopp laughs, finding the combination lock and retrieving a stethoscope from his bag. “That’s a shame. Well, let’s do this the traditional way then.”

It takes Usopp exactly two minutes to get it open-- which, Zoro admits, is very fucking impressive.

He bends over to get a closer look at everything inside-- and his jaw drops right open. It’s filled with objects that all shine in a very visually pleasing way, and though Zoro’s no expert in jewellery, he knows all this cost a fortune of some sort.

Usopp reaches inside, feeling around.

“It smells like silver, mostly,” he says, picking up a necklace with a large emerald stone on it, the shell of the pendant lined with diamonds.

“Nami would like these,” Zoro says.

And then Usopp takes out something far duller-- something that seemed to be made out of greenish-blue stone, with odd, tribal-looking patterns engraved in it.

It’s a bangle, dull in colour and nothing attractive. From the way Usopp’s arms slump slightly compared to the hand holding the necklace, it’s quite heavy.

Of all the things Zoro expected the boy to grab, that one wasn’t it. 

Maybe it’s because Usopp can’t see how dull and ugly the bangle was. Zoro’s not one for ornamental fancies (shut up about the earrings--) but he knows a rock when he sees one. Still Usopp looks fairly pleased with it, so he won’t mention that out loud.

A smile tickles at Usopp’s lips.

“Yeah, she will,” he agrees. “Let’s grab it all, then. Luffy’s nearby.”

“Wait, really?”

* * *

“So Informant, what were you saying about leaving quietly again?”

Hack and Coby stare incredulously at the guards screaming after the boy in the distance. 

Coby, frankly, is impressed. He didn’t expect anything less from the man who’s going to declare war against two Emperors at once in the future, but still. They had literally led him out on the most unoccupied hallways possible with a straight road out.

“Hey informant? Informant?”

Well, this all works out fine anyways. Coby saw that coming, totally. The only place they hadn’t gone for was the Round of Knights hall, where the slavers had their meetings.

They could really use this distraction to go for it. And then he’ll pretend it was all planned out to begin with because obviously Coby knew this was going to happen with Luffy. Like, really. Of course.

(Even after so many years, Luffy can always manage to surprise him…)

“Hey Informant!” and a hard smack to his shoulders woke him up.

Coby squeaks and swirls back apprehensively-- oh it’s just Hack.

“Let me guess, you didn’t hear a thing,” Hack says, like that wasn’t obvious in the first place because Coby is, breaking news, at least eighty percent deaf. 

So instead he turns away and very, very convincingly, he swears, smiles awkwardly and laughs. “O- Obviously I heard you. Now let’s go before Uncle Gon gets on our case.” 

“Uncle--?! Hey, Informant! Where are you going??”

Coby turns around and leaves Luffy behind, only to register the new weight beside his head and the gentle, familiar smell of gunpowder..

_...Huh?_

“Hey Hack, whose bird is this and what is it doing on my shoulder?”

* * *

Luffy thinks the guards are mean. Everyone knows it’s not fair to come at him with a group! And why are they screaming? It’s rude to scream, Sabo said so!

Anyways he was definitely planning on just walking out, okay? 

Coby said it was important so obviously, it is. And when someone is playing a game they really like alone, you quietly go away. That’s common sense.

But listen, listen.

He swears he only thought that that guy’s jacket was cool and he only wanted to see it for half a second. Promise.

So it’s not his fault they just suddenly shot him! He hates getting shot, it startled him! Anyways, it just somehow ended up like this and Luffy is absolutely not responsible for this. And can they stop shooting at him?! 

_“It’s bouncing off!”_

_“What is he?!”_

_“Wait, half of you get to the other side! We need to surround him, the kid’s quick!”_

Luffy is so sick of this. He even lost sight of the exit, and he’s getting hungry.

He turns the corner, steps on someone’s face, swings over the rest of the crowd-- and huh? Where’s Ennosuke? Well, whatever, she’ll come back when she’s hungry. 

And then he sees it.

Laying on the ground, towards the wall-- a very familiar white cane.

His eyes widen. 

-

Two minutes later, Luffy is yelling again, waving the white stick in the air.

“You assholes! What have you done to Usopp?! Give him back!!”

And now the guards were running away from him, varying degrees of crying for help, just straight up wailing in confusion, and the other half were bolting for their lives.

Coby and Hack pass by the crowd again, and Coby incredulously looks up with his eyes at the bird on his head.

“Not going back?” he asks.

The bird shakes its head desperately.

 _Okay then._ Back to searching they go.

“Man, I wish I could do the thing Luffy-san always did. I’d be able to understand you better,” Coby mumbles. “Ah, Hack-san, I’m going to use my Observation.”

“You don’t have to warn me,” Hack says, knowing that Coby isn’t looking his way so he can’t know what he’s saying.

And Coby does it.

He spreads out, and Hack can feel just the slightest difference in the air, like it’s gone just a bit thicker than before.

And suddenly, Coby’s so _visible_. 

His Haki is so strong, releasing it sends chills down Hack’s spine. If Coby would just train it a little more, he would be able to hide it better…

“Huh? Someone’s sending me a signal.”

And Hack snaps back to attention, spreading out his own Observation.

It’s nearby-- there’s a faint, irregular pulse of Haki somewhere deep in the walls, thrumming in a rhythm like morse code.

“I recognize it. It’s faint so I can’t read it well,” Hack puts a hand on Coby’s shoulder so the boy knows to look at his lips. “Secret entrance. It’s leading us toward it. You think it’s a trap?”

It’s a revolutionary code? But there shouldn’t be another revolutionary agent here. Hack was the only one sent because they weren’t supposed to show their faces at any point of time. Coby, the informant, should be their only extra lead.

Coby doesn’t recognize the code.

But he recognizes the soul.

And with how faintly it’s thrumming, as if it doesn’t want to be discovered-- Coby knows that the message is for him and his own oversensitive observation.

“It’s not a trap,” he smiles. “I probably know him.”

“I’ll trust you, then,” Hack sighs.

So, how should they get there? Secret entrances are unpredictable, and they can’t move around much with the guards in disarray. They know the general direction...

“Ah, wait!”

The bird flies off Coby’s head, coming to land before a hallway with a brick wall.

Then it turns around, as if it’s waiting for Coby to do something. And though Coby still can’t hear the souls and emotions of animals, some things can just be felt through actions. 

“Oh,” he says. “I think it’s leading us there.”

Making sure no guards were around, they scrambled over-- Hack found the secret passage easily after pushing a few bricks around.

“This is the one we found last week, isn’t it? There’s nothing down the but the shortcut to the castle dungeons,” Hack tells him.

“But the signal is coming from down there. It’s worth checking,” Coby insists, picking up the candle by the side and lighting it.

The bird flies in ahead of them.

“Are you sure we aren’t wasting our time?” Hack says, stepping in and letting the passage close behind them.

Coby didn’t see him talking, so Hack just rolls his eyes and follows along.

The bird hovers around, seemingly waiting for them to catch up. Coby hustles after it, not wanting to lose it despite knowing there was only one route down.

“Hey Informant, slow down-- right, you can’t hear me. HEY INFORMANT--”

Coby makes a startled squeak when his foot misses a step, and the noise that escapes his throat is some sort of strangled horror.

Grasping desperately at the walls in his panic, Coby drops the candle, slides painfully down too many steps that make his life flash before his eyes-- and the wall beside him turns with him.

_(Wait, what?)_

“Informant? You okay there?” Hack comes by with a new candle, making sure Coby turned to him so he could see him speaking. He even signed in case Coby couldn’t register it yet.

“Uh, ye--” Coby then snaps, “wait, don’t yell at me. You startled me.”

“Right, my bad.”

Coby, still in shock from feeling his life flash before his eyes, nods absently, confusedly trying to piece together what just happened.

Just then, the wall to the right of them opens, sliding soundlessly apart just enough to open a narrow hallway for one man to slide through at a time. 

Hack’s jaw drops. Coby blinks, pleasantly surprised. “See? I told you this was worth it!”

More like, how would you normally discover that secret passage anyways?!

Hack moves in with a new candle, and Coby follows. But the latter stops after two steps, turning back to realize the bird hadn’t followed them inside.

It was perched by the side of the steps, waiting for them to go.

“You’re not coming?” Coby asks.

Hack turns around. The bird simply stares back, without a response. 

(In a way, it looked regal. It reminded him of Sengoku-- composed, unfazed, and responsible. He did no more than he had to, and did all he could when he needed to.)

(...No, that’s a stretch.)

(It was probably just a whim on the bird’s part. He shouldn’t think too much about it.)

Coby hums. “Thanks for bringing us this far,” he says, just to be polite.

For a moment, he thinks the bird huffs a ‘you’re welcome’ at him.

-

“Huh?”

They made it to a room-- and their jaws drop.

There are thousands of papers in this archive, and all of them are exactly what they’re looking for. Information on the destruction of the country, the people left behind, and the underground trade that occurred in the later half of the war which led to Tequila Wolf’s formation.

“To think we’ve been missing something this close by this whole time.”

And Coby is honestly speechless. 

He came back three years ago. Spent a year building himself back up, spent another year climbing up the social ladder of the underworld, and spent his third year making efforts to change the world.

With his previous knowledge of the World Government, he weaved himself into their archives easily, and began to plant seeds in every liable gap.

He had been working many years on this road, staying on the verge of the Revolutionaries and the world nobles-- and yet, this is the first big change he’s managed to achieve. 

He brought the Tequila Wolf takedown and settlement leaps ahead in progress, and he didn’t do it alone.

_(Where’s Usopp? Is there another exit from here?)_

_(Why isn’t Usopp here? Coby wants to talk to him. They’re finally on the same side of the law again. He wants to hug him and be with them again.)_

_(He wants to go with Luffy-san this time but, but, but…)_

_(...but he’s been tasked with better things, he can’t be selfish.)_

Hack shakes him once, and Coby turns his eyes back to the taller man. The look Hack gives him is a reminder.

A reminder of exactly what they’re doing, and how much they can’t afford to be anything but completely serious now. 

The fun times are over.

After this, there will be no break for them. They’ve finally gotten somewhere, they have to keep going.

“It seems like the person that led us here doesn’t want to show themselves,” Coby sighs, looking through some papers and shuffling them around. A fallen vase is shattered to the side, filled with ash or sand of some sort. “That’s fine, right? Let’s get started.”

Hack retrieves his Den Den Mushi with a huff.

“Of course.”

Coby finds a spot in the corner, pulsing nostalgically like how all Usopp’s creations and emotions linger on his skin. He opens the door, which isn’t locked-- and finds it except save for a note written in scraggly writing.

**_[ I.O.U a Dream. -Sogeking. ]_ **

Coby laughs.

* * *

“Wait, Zoro-- I don’t think this is the way we came from.”

“Huh? You can’t even see,” Zoro has his hand around the boy’s elbow. He’s clutching the sack of jewellery in his other hand. “Of course this is the way out. There’s only one road.”

“Exactly Zoro, there is only one straight road up,” Usopp says. “So how the hell have we turned left twice already?”

Usopp sighs. At least he sent the signal when they were still there. Coby should have found it and it should have led them to the archive. 

Man, he was looking forward to meeting him, too. Leave it to Zoro’s sense of direction to get them out of track.

“Zoro-kun, Zoro-kun, why are we walking _down_? How did you find stairs that go even further down??”

“Shut up! Ask the road, not me!”

Usopp smells the dampness of the seabed, and he clings a little closer to Zoro. At the very least, they’re actually getting closer to Luffy. What’s Luffy doing so far down from the castle, anyways? 

Zoro finds a door and opens it.

They’re _very_ far underground-- far down enough that Usopp just _knew_ what this place could be. He holds his shoes in his hand, and he feels the rock under his feet give way to worn out stone. 

“This is… a dungeon, right?” Zoro says. “A prison, I mean.”

If it’s on a ship, it’s a brig. If it’s in a castle, it’s a dungeon. Then if it’s just a building full of jail cells, it’s a prison. The difference doesn’t really matter, so Usopp finds it strange that Zoro knows the difference. 

“You just thought something rude, didn’t you?”

“No, no, no.”

“You definitely did.”

“No, no, no.”

Something drips. There’s a leak-- they’re under sea level. It’s wide open in this space, but it reeked of humidity and the dead. Usopp’s haki tells him that it’s empty here. 

Completely empty.

Usopp clings closer, hugging Zoro’s arm to himself. They pass by a metal cage, and Usopp notes that the door is open.

“Get off already, we’re out of the stairs.”

Usopp doesn’t.

He breathes, in and out. Taking in the smell of rot and rust and blood, so thick it’s soaked and stained into the stone walls.

The sound of chains scraping against the walls.

He clutches even closer, fingers digging into Zoro’s arm. 

“Let’s just get out of here.”

Zoro gives him a glance and doesn’t say anything more.

He tries not to think of the motley colours, the humid air, the smell of blood, and the feeling of chains dragging across his wrist.

(He’s not there anymore.)

(He’s with Zoro and Zoro is a safe place.)

-

“DAMN IT! LET ME OUT!”

They went up about two floors to find a caged monkey screaming his head off. There are guards beside him, looking positively annoyed at this dumb chore they’d been stuck with.

Usopp sticks to the side with Zoro, who was looking at the scene with a grimace.

“What is that idiot doing?” Zoro says, exasperated. 

Usopp honestly expected this. Put Luffy anywhere and he’ll find himself a reason to get arrested-- that’s just how Luffy is, and it’s routine for pirates. 

“Oh! Zoro! And Usopp! HEYYY ZORO! USOPP!!

“Shit, he saw us!”

“Idiot, don’t call for us!” 

Immediately the guards spin in the direction of the call, holding their weapons at the ready. Zoro ducks away quickly, dragging Usopp out of view, but it’s too late. He looks to the left, then right, and up--

_“He had companions!”_

_“Someone’s there! Seize them!”_

\--Zoro grabs Usopp by the scruff and climbs up the wall. Usopp isn’t too sure about the infrastructure of this area, but he reckons they were on a higher level now, probably on some sort of hallway bridge. 

Zoro runs again, and Usopp uses his opportunity to assemble his Kabuto. 

“I’ll get Luffy, you stay here!”

And Usopp is suddenly dropped. And then Zoro runs off, bringing his ensemble of guards with him.

The sound of a door closing is the only thing Usopp hears after that.

Usopp swears loudly.

“Wait, Zoro, don’t just leave me--” he stands up quickly, realizing that he’s inside a room. The echo of his voice, the loud roaring of the guards in the distance, and then Luffy’s yelling even further away.

Usopp belatedly realizes he’s frozen still, because he has no idea where he is.

The walls are muted blue. The ground is cold rock, and his Haki tells him there are no souls nearby. The air is dry and the wind is stale.

And once he registers all of that, the smell of rot and copper assaults his senses.

He reaches out, and there’s nothing in front of him. He takes a step forward-- and feels around again. 

Okay, calm down. 

He should listen to the sounds. That’s right, snap his fingers once and hear if there’s anything in this--

_“He went that way!”_

_“Shit, is anyone guarding the kid with the strawhat?”_

_“Oh no! He’s misled us, get back over there!”_

\--he can’t hear anything except the guards. He can’t hear what’s in this room, the sounds are too erratic and all over the place. 

Is the room getting darker? No, he’s imagining things.

Calm down, calm down.

He uses the edge of his Kabuto as a walking stick. There isn’t anything on the ground-- he feels around until he reaches a wall, and sighs in relief.

(He’s going to teach Zoro a lesson about leaving him right in the middle of a fucking room next time.)

He moves along the wall-- he should be able to find a window from here.

He lays his hand on the slightly crusty stone, rubbing out a handful of sand from the walls-- 

\--and he shoots away from it immediately, bringing his hand back to his chest.

The world is a blur.

The smell of blood is a stain, the infinite screaming is an illusion; and there are no sounds of chains scraping against the floor. 

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” he whispers to himself, “I’m not there.”

_“He went that way!”_

_“Circle around and fire!”_

Usopp straightens to attention, the sudden, incredibly close proximity snapping him right back to reality. They’re right over the wall-- which mean they’re at least still in the same general area.

“Kinoko, Kinoko, why are you never here when I need you?”

Zoro and Luffy are a little below. So Usopp is probably on higher ground. That’s perfect. He touches the wall one more time and finds a window. 

“Forty to forty,” he mutters, continuing along the wall with his hand trailing against the stone. 

He finds another window, and another, and then the door. 

“Each window is a meter apart,” he navigates in his head. Four walls, eight windows, one door leading out. “It’s an actual door, so this isn’t a jail cell.”

Which means this is probably an abandoned control room, or an abandoned employee rest area. Either way, it’s empty.

Alright, then. 

He rounds the walls one more time-- and sets himself in the middle of the room.

Then he closes his eyes and draws back the sling of his Kabuto.

-

“You idiot, why’d you get yourself captured?!” 

Zoro is officially done with all of this. He’s going to nap on the ship at the next island and he is _not_ going to wake up.

The bars of the prison cell are made of iron. He could try to cut them, but with only one sword, that’ll be difficult. Much less with all the guards currently looped around them.

“They took Usopp!” 

“No, they didn’t?!? You literally saw him with me just now!”

“But I found his stick!” Luffy whines, waving about the walking stick like a statement. Oh, good, he has the cane. Saves them some time trying to find the thing again. 

(But is this the time?!)

“Yeah, because I dropped it you moron!”

“But it’s Usopp’s stick?!?”

Seriously, he left Usopp behind in that room just now. It’ll be a pain if the guards find him, because it’s obvious Usopp needs either Zoro or the stick to get around right now-- “Agh, just get out of there already!”

They’re shooting at him, and Zoro’s frantically running back and forth from the cell trying to dodge their measly bullets and blades. 

“Oh, I can’t,” Luffy says, sitting down there comfortably like his crewmate isn’t in danger of getting mauled. His arms hanging out of the square openings in his slouch, “I don’t have the key.”

“You’re made of rubber, just squeeze through the bars!” Zoro yells, frustrated.

“Huh?” Luffy blinks. 

He stares at the bars confusedly before trying to, and succeeding in, squeezing his head through the gap. 

Then, “oh. OH. YAY I’M OUT!”

“YOU FUCKING IDIOT!”

Luffy peels himself right out of the jail cell, depositing himself beside Zoro as they begin their round of cat and mouse.

Zoro groans longsufferingly. “So, what’ll we do? Run or fight?” 

“Of course--”

Luffy’s interrupted by an explosion beside them. There’s a clatter, and Luffy barely manages to spot a black capsule rolling by their feet before a smokescreen blows vision right out of the water.

“What the he--”

“Ahh Zoro, wait, don’t move!”

Luffy grabs Zoro before he draws his sword, and right then, they feel numerous projectiles whizz past their faces.

The guards scramble in a panic, yelping in surprise.

_“What’s--”_

_“Someone’s shooting at us!”_

_“From where?!”_

_“Shit, they had another companion! Where did he go?”_

Lufffy turns around in time to see a man get impacted by a black lead projectile. He falls straight down, probably, hopefully, not dead.

A pachinko pellet bumps against his sandal.

“Oh, it’s Usopp,” Luffy says, sticking close to Zoro, back against his. He hands the walking stick to Zoro, who straps it to his side beside Ichimonji. “Where’s he anyway?”

Zoro squints through the smoke. “Huh? I left him somewhere up there…” 

“Up? Okay,” and Luffy throws his hand up to the ledge, looping his other arm around Zoro three times (“wait. Wait, Luffy, no!”) before shooting upward. 

Luffy hangs from the banister like a monkey, looking around.

The smokescreen has spread all over the room now-- it’s more potent than he’d thought. The guards were in chaos, burning through their ammunition in a vain attempt to reorganize themselves and identify the sniper.

“Oh! It’s Ennosuke!” he says as the bird casually flies in from, seemingly nowhere at all. “Where have you been? Where’s Usopp?”

The bird gives him a scoff-looking greeting, as if she hadn’t been on an adventure of her own or something. Seriously, what a free-spirited bird.

Zoro blinks blearily at that, hanging tiredly at Luffy’s side when the bird rests on his shoulder. “Seriously, you just go wherever the hell you want… hurry up and go to Usopp already, he needs ya.”

Kinoko pecks him in the ear angrily once before fluttering off in the clear direction of the room Usopp was in.

“Ow! Don’t do that!” Zoro snaps, holding his ear. He faintly wonders if Kinoko could use Haki too. She always seems so sure of where Usopp is.

Luffy notices the room and shoots over.

"There's Usopp! Let's go!"

“Wait Luffy, that window isn’t big enough-- OOMPH!”

-

* * *

-

“...What happened to you guys?”

Nami stares at them incredulously. 

After a surprisingly nostalgic Gomu Gomu no Rocket right into the mast of the ship, Zoro has to be restrained by Gin and Luffy is laughing like the moron he is. Sanji plants a heel in his head, but that doesn’t stop Luffy from laughing like a maniac.

Usopp just stares spiritually into the sky, “no… nothing much.”

Nami raises an eyebrow at that.

“Well, whatever,” she says. Immediately switching to her sweet tone, she raises her voice, “Sanji-kun, Gin-kun, could you let down the sails? The guards are coming this way and we need to get a headstart. And Zoro, the anchor please.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

“Aye, Nami-swan!”

“Dammit. I’ll get you later for this, Luffy!”

There’s chaos over in the direction of the castle. Seems like guards are in a mad dash for their intruder, and it’s obviously Luffy’s fault.

“Yosh! Let’s set sail, everyone!” Luffy declares, punching the air. 

“AYE SIR!” everyone hollers back from different directions.

The Going Merry turns quickly, and Usopp goes for the galley, tugging the steering with the directions Kinoko gives from his head.

Nami stays on the deck with Luffy, watching the mist give way to the sea, and the sea give way to their next voyage.

The Tequila Wolf residents weren’t bothered, Nami notices-- they aren’t sending a ship after them. There aren’t a lot of ships near this side of port, so it should be easy to lose them. They even have good wind for their escape.

Luffy sits on the figurehead, grinning widely.

“So, did you have fun, Luffy?” Nami asks him, leaning into the bow. It’s always a delight to see Luffy cheerful. 

“Uhn!” Luffy says, “that’s right- Usopp and Zoro found treasure, y’know! They’re really pretty things,” he informs excitedly, “and I saw this guy with a really cool jacket! I wanted to grab it for Gin, but he ran off first.”

Nami can’t help but smile as she listens to him.

“That’s right-- Nami,” Usopp comes out from the galley, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a stone. “Here, a present.”

And Nami reaches up to snag the object out of the air. 

It’s thick stone, the weight enough to make her arm sag slightly with effort. It’s carved in with elegantly intricate curls, similar in stylistics to Nojiko’s tattoos. 

“Did you just throw a rock at her?” Gin asks, climbing down at the cargo net.

“You idiot, why are you throwing projectiles at people?! What if it hit her?” Sanji snaps at him, leaning out of the crow’s nest. “Well of course Nami-san can catch that, but what if she didn’t?!”

But Nami’s reaction is neither alarm nor apprehension. She takes one look at it and instantly, her features bloom.

“No way!” she says, her voice bursting with excitement, “it’s a seastone ornament! Where’d you find it?”

“It’s probably the castle’s national treasure. We found it in a safe deep underground,” Usopp informs her. 

Zoro comes out of the room, “wait, what? That dumb rock is actually something interesting?”

“Of course,” Nami answers immediately, slipping it through her flesh hand and admiring how it fits. “It’s limited edition, straight from Wano I bet.”

Zoro only gives her more confused looks. “Isn’t Wano the country of the samu--”

“Thank you, Usopp! I love it!” Nami thinks she’ll keep it-- she can probably use it as a brass knuckle. “I’m taking twenty million out of your debt, okay?”

“That thing is worth as much as my bounty?!” Gin blurts, shocked.

Nami just grins at that. “Of course! It’s a huge chunk of seastone, you know! Essential for the Grand Line, and if you have this, you don’t even need Haki to punch Luffy in the face.”

“What?!” came four shocked male voices, Luffy’s voice a tad more offended than the others at the implication.

Nami pats Luffy on the head with a laugh, but Luffy pouts.

“It’s also known to be as tough as diamonds, so Zoro can’t cut through it either.”

“WHAT?!”

Nami laughs. 

“Enough messing around! C”mon guys, we need to make it to Loguetown in two days! Eyes on the sea and let’s go!”

* * *

**The Oykot Kingdom is raided by the Revolutionaries approximately two weeks from then. The Tequila Wolf base stationed there is liberated, the slaves freed, and the station seized.**

**Approximately three months after that, the Revolutionaries will make incredible progress upon the liberation of the rest of the bridge. It will then lead to a bigger step forward on the revolution's progress, and the World Nobles will begin to take action.**

**But what happens therein is a story for another time.**


	21. land of the beginning and the end.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loguetown smells like a storm. The saltiness of tears, the bitterness of spilled blood, and the sweetness of dreams blend together to form an aroma that draws only the bravest to its towns.
> 
> Usopp takes a step forward and goes ahead. 
> 
> Gin takes two steps back, making sure his captain is in front of him first.

They curl around the deck, eating supper in the moonlight.

Zoro’s already snoring, and Luffy has his legs draped over Zoro’s, his head laying on Usopp’s lap as he throws an arm over to snag a chunk of meat.

There’s a candle before them, and Gin is reading his book. 

All the blankets from the dorms are sprawled over someone in some shape, way, or form. Luffy is humming something unintelligible off-tune, and Kinoko seems to be adding in echoes of her own to accentuate the music.

Sanji is serving up cups of hot chocolate, and Nami and Usopp are chatting.

“You found Coby?” she asks, her voice surprised enough to catch the attention of the previously nonchalant crew.

Usopp nods, hands wrapped around his mug and a blanket draped over his shoulders. “He was definitely there. I sensed him.”

It’s in the way Nami and Usopp respond. Their voices suppressed but not hiding, juggling the words carelessly yet it was undeniably an important piece of information.

Luffy blinks, “huh? Usopp and Nami, you guys know Coby?” 

Nami and Usopp turn to him, taken aback-- then they nod.

“So he knows Luffy, too,” Usopp says, almost contemplatively. 

“Yeah! I met him before I found Zoro,” Luffy says. Zoro twitches a little at that, but no one really notices when he stopped snoring. 

Luffy’s journey before he met Zoro is a territory none of them have fully gone over, in either life. 

(Or at least, Nami doesn’t remember it.)

They’ve shared plenty of stories, but in jokes and vague details, never in proper narration. Luffy didn’t have the patience for that kind of stuff.

Usopp can’t help but think through it a little more. 

Coby was with Hack, in Tequila Wolf. 

That combination indicates he was running errands for the Revolutionary Army-- so did he join the Revolutionaries this time? But if he was, he wouldn’t have the freedom to wander about and go meet Luffy on Alvida’s ship.

Unless he came back many years _ before  _ Usopp and Nami, and thus already climbed far up the revolutionary ladder…

No, that wouldn’t make sense. 

“The Chief of Staff never came by Whitebeard’s,” Nami says.

Usopp hums. It seems like Nami had been thinking about the same thing. Coby hated Marineford more so than any other Marine in the world, bar maybe Garp. He would have gone step one to prevent it, first and foremost.

Unless…

_ (...unless he was choosing his targets on a larger scale, bypassing the little things and focusing just on the World Government instead.) _

“Then what is he doing here?” Usopp wonders. What is Coby planning, what has he been doing, and what does he plan on doing from here? 

It would really put things in perspective if they had met. Maybe Usopp should’ve stayed a little longer, after all.

“Oh, I know!” Luffy says, cheerfully. “He’s playing a game with Uncle Gon!

Nami and Usopp simultaneously choke on their drinks. 

-

**_Coby came to visit Usopp many times in Impel Down. Each time, Usopp could sense that Coby was nearing his edge. Each time, Coby drank one-sidedly and spoke to him as if they could still be the good friends they wanted to be._ **

**_And at some point, Coby stopped coming, and Usopp guessed from the amount of prisoners coming in and out-- that Coby was probably dead, or retired by force._ **

**_Usopp closed his eyes and reigned himself to a world he would never recognize again._ **

**_“They don’t care, Usopp-san.”_ **

**_Coby had been particularly exhausted that day. He came in disguise, wearing the grunt uniforms and leaving his Fleet Admiral coat upstairs. He spoke in whispers, his voice was full of nothing but spite-- and Usopp was his sounding board._ **

**_“Politics, war, civil unrest-- all of it is so far beneath them, they don’t care. They have the privilege to be oblivious to it.”_ **

**_Coby was always a crybaby._ **

**_“I hate that I can’t do anything about it,” he whispered, hate filling his voice. “Why did I become Fleet Admiral? It’s the most useless job in the world!”_ **

**_Usopp’s eyes widened at that._ **

**_“That’s not true,” he says quickly, but he doesn’t have a follow up for it._ **

**_Because it’s true. It’s true-- but he doesn’t want Coby to say that himself. His heart breaks when he feels around for Coby’s shattered, despaired voice._ **

**_Being Fleet Admiral was Coby’s dream._ **

**_“People’s dreams don’t die,” Usopp says, the words bitter in his mouth when he remembers who exactly said those words to begin with._ **

**_But he can’t reach over to hold Coby’s hands and tell him it’s alright._ **

**_“Your dream isn’t dead either, Coby,” Usopp says._ **

**_Coby stands there for a moment longer, only to walk away without another word._ **

**_But they both know that Coby’s dream has been dead for a long time. Ever since Lufy died, ever since Helmeppo left, ever since every single good marine had to be discharged one after another._ **

**_It’s dead._ **

**_“When I get out,” Usopp told him, “come with us.”_ **

**_Coby’s presence lingered for a moment. Then, he was gone._ **

-

“They called him ‘Informant’?” Nami repeats, just to be sure. 

Luffy nods. “That, In foam thing,” he affirms. 

Nami forced him to sit down and tell the story, so throughout it he’s gone from sprawled around Zoro’s lap to sprawled over Usopp’s, turning a few hundred degrees the other way around with a loop around Sanji’s arm. 

“Informant,” Gin corrects him. “It’s somebody that tells you things you want to know.”

“Oohh,” Luffy looks over. “But why?”

They didn’t bother to answer that question. 

There’s no reason for Coby to use an alias like that-- was he hiding his name? Then did Luffy expose him? That could spell trouble. Whatever.

One thing’s for sure.

“So he’s working  _ with _ the Revolutionaries,” Usopp concludes, fairly sure of that part, “but he probably isn’t a part of their forces. Does that mean he’s creating a  _ fourth _ party in the war? No, if we count the world nobles as one side, Coby would be the fifth.”

He’s the  _ informant _ . It’s a title, a role in this world that can change the tune of events simply just by existing-- and it’s a perfect excuse to already know the information they keep from the future.

Coby, from this world to the last, has always wished the best for the world. 

Among all the people in the world, perhaps he was the most pacifist. And yet, his role brought him to the core of the war, making him the head of the charge of millions of dead people he once cared about personally. 

At the top, he felt every whisper of each soul to the core, never pulling back his Haki from their agony. 

**_(“I finally get to play the game I’ve always wanted to play.”)_ **

Coby was doing exactly what Nami and Usopp didn’t do-- taking big, useful steps to change the world. 

He’s going right into the territory of the World Nobles, playing on their field with his new freedom as an unknown. He’s serious about changing the future.

(Unlike Nami and Usopp, he’s willing to sacrifice his own desires for it.)

“Hey Nami, what’s the Revolutionaries?” Luffy asks.

Gin chokes on his drink this time. “Do you seriously know NOTHING about the world before you set sail?!”

-

* * *

-

It’s nighttime again.

Usopp puts a hand on the bow of the Merry, taking slow steps around the ship to feel each curve of the wood. 

He spreads his Haki, in and out. Through the deck, across the sea, and up the mast. Humming Bink’s Sake under his breath, he analyses the texture of each wood, knowing where the scratches are and identifying how old each of them were.

Luffy always seemed to train his Haki better when he was fighting. Zoro needed to sit down and meditate in long, empty silence. But Usopp, like Sanji, focused better mentally when he was doing something he nonchalantly enjoyed.

For Sanji, it was cooking-- usually peeling onions or watching a pot boil. Usopp tended to grind up some new lead, inspect seeds, or check the ship to hear Sunny sing.

Merry likes to sing, too. 

Usopp can already hear the dredges of her voice, giggling in her distinctly sheepish way here and there on the bow. Her spirit always seems so close, yet she’s in the other direction once Usopp gets too close.

It’s like hide and seek. That’s fine, it’s always better when Merry doesn’t show herself at all.

He looks out into the blurry dark blue in the distance, and he sighs.

_ (Their little detour ran long, and he can’t help but feel like he didn’t do enough there.) _

_ (They know they have to start doing more now, once they get to Loguetown. If they really came back with purpose, they need to do more.) _

“Coby probably has his own plans,” he says, well aware that Nami is by the tangerine trees, listening to him closely. “We shouldn’t mess it up too much.”

Nami sets down her watering can. 

“We can’t just do nothing, Usopp,” she tells him, stern. “He has his plans, we have ours. That’s how it’s always been, and this time shouldn’t be any different.”

She doesn’t mean any harm when she says it.

But Usopp takes his hand off the bow and turns to her with a glance that’s a bit more than put off at her tone.

“Nami, we’re on the same side now,” he says, firm. “He’s not an enemy anymore.”

_ (Not that he was ever an enemy, but that’s not the point.) _

_ (Coby is a friend and this time he is one this time in every way and a silent arm in the air. Usopp has no intention for him to be anything else.) _

Nami doesn’t reply yet.

“I know,” she says, in a way that means she’s putting off the issue to another, more available date she will forget about. “But he avoided you. You avoided him.”

(You didn’t make complete effort to try and meet him, even though you could.)

Because deep down, Usopp knows that they’re both on different stages now. Coby decided to throw everything away when he became what he is. Usopp decided to forsake the world when he came by Luffy's side.

(Their views on the importance of the world do not line up.)

(So they  _ shouldn’t _ work together.)

If Coby joined them, they would just get in his way. They want to meet, they want to catch up-- but that isn’t what they need to do, isn’t what they  _ should _ do. 

Coby is not on the same side. Not fully, at least. He is his own side, and he has his own train of thought for what occurs later on.

“Right,” Usopp turns back toward the sea. “I’m sorry. Forget I said anything.”

He shouldn’t be swayed by this.

“We’ll go with what we’ve already planned for our journey,” Nami says. “If anything goes wrong… we deal with it. That’s it.”

(It’s not ‘changing’ or ‘different’ from the old.)

(It’s the new ‘normal’, and they just have to overcome those struggles like the humans they are in this world.)

Usopp did not meet Coby in the Oykot Kingdom.

That is not a lie.

-

“Hey,” Nami stands up from the soil of the tangerine trees, plucking a ripe one. “Do you think… is anyone else going to come back?”

Usopp looks toward the sea and thinks.

“If they did, they would be back already,” Usopp says.

Nami peels the skin of her tangerine with a hum. “So if there’s anyone else, we either haven’t met them, or… y’know, they’re just… a really good actor?”

Usopp’s eyebrows quirk at that. “What are you implying?”

“Well,” Nami says, “Coby died before me. And with how far he’s come as an Informant, I’m thinking he got here at least a year before us.”

“But when I died, Coby was still Fleet Admiral,” Usopp asks, because he doesn’t know the timeline of anything after his prison time very clearly. 

“You first, then Coby, then me. Same week, I reckon,” Nami explains. 

Usopp grimaces. That’s a lot of World Noble achievement for one week.

“And yet, you came back to the same time I did,” she says. “So, let’s say someone else died, and they fit in the same, bullshit criteria for time travel as us-- but their arrival time’s much later. Like, say, _ after  _ they meet Luffy instead of  _ before _ .”

Usopp understands now.

“Who do you suspect?”

"Well," Nami says, "don't get your hopes up, it's just a hunch."

-

Gin stares up at Luffy’s hammock.

It’s dark, the sea is quiet, and his book is on the shelf, undisturbed. He turns over, changing his view to the corner of the room.

Luffy’s snoring above him, loud and obnoxious. He feels the sudden urge to kick upwards, but he dismisses it to look around the room.

His wanted poster is pinned to the wall beside Nami’s. 

He stands up from his spot, walking past Zoro’s hammock and Sanji who somehow ended up on the carpet, before trailing a hand over his own name on the wall.

His picture is his old one, without any of the ugly blue freckles on his arms, and none of his now sickly complexion. He hasn’t glared like that in a while and he’s not sure if he remembers how to.

He stares at it for a moment longer before sitting down on the couch, picking up his book and opening it to the page he’s dog-eared. He lights no candles and the moonlight barely gets under the deck, but his eyes are accustomed to the lighting.

It takes longer to read, but he takes his time. 

He’s not sure how long he spends like that, but after about ten pages, Luffy soars right off his spot and launches into Gin, eliciting a startled squeak from the man.

(Gin will not admit to making that noise in the morning.)

“Hm?” Luffy looks up, squirming around to find a comfortable spot on top of the man, as if he was just another, more bumpy part of the furniture. “Oh Gin, what’re you doing here?” 

Gin holds up his fist, dearly wishing Luffy wasn’t conveniently incapacitating Gin’s free arm, because he really felt like crushing this moron’s skull right here and now--

\--instead, he sighs, using his free hand to set his book pages down over the shelf. Then he ruffles Luffy’s hair, resting his head on the back of the couch with a contented shoulder sag.

Luffy rolls over so he’s facing the ceiling. From his smile, Gin can tell he’s awake.

It’s strange to see the boy without his hat. 

“Makino always said that if you read when it’s dark you’ll grow eyes in weird places,” he says, grinning cheekily. 

Gin doesn’t know who Makino is, but he can’t imagine any situation involving Luffy that would warrant a warning like that in the first place. 

But from what he knows of Luffy so far… “Is that a bad thing?” he asks, and Luffy opens his eyes with interest.

“That would be cool!” Luffy says, excited by the mere idea.

“Right. So go back to your hammock and let me continue reading,” Gin ruffles his hair, pointing at the hammock above them.

Luffy shakes his head, shifting over to sit beside Gin. Unfortunately, the captain is wide awake now-- and from what Gin knows of Zoro, he is too. Sanji… nah, he’s still sleep talking. 

“Don’t wanna! I wanna try and grow another eye too!” Luffy says, his gaze filled with interest. “But I don’t wanna read, so Gin can read for my share too!”

“I don’t think it works that way.”

“So it’s a mystery eye?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Cool!” he rolls over, looking toward the book. “What’s it about? You’ve had it the whole day.”

Gin has an existential crisis for a second upon realizing that Luffy is expressing interest in a book. Then he picks the book back up and closes it properly after folding down the corner of the page.

“Sabo always got angry at us when we did that.”

Gin blinks. He doesn’t ask who Sabo is because Luffy tends to drop names a lot. “You mean this?” he gestures at the creases over the previous pages, bumpy and scarred and a little worn out already. 

“He said he’ll XXX and XXX our lives to XXX if we do it again.”

“You sure have an incredible way of phrasing things,” is Gin’s only retort to the utter incredulity. “Emerald City. It’s about a legendary island.”

“Legendary Island? Where is it?”

Gin sighs at that. “It wouldn’t be legendary if we knew, right? Probably somewhere in the Grand Line. It was discovered by someone, but we don’t know his name.”

Luffy hums at that. “Ehhh,” he’s still staring at the book, “then who’s Con- Kon- ronron Coco Deer?”

“Khron Corde, wait, you can read?” Gin says, ignoring Luffy’s offended ‘obviously I can!’, he picks up the book and trails over the name of the author. “He’s the one that wrote it down. Like how you’re going on a journey, but Nami’s the one writing the log.”

Luffy makes a noise. “So he’s the navigator?”

“They’re actually called chroniclers.”

“But you said he was like Nami!”

“Luffy, I will XXX and XXX your life to XXX if you ask another stupid question,” Gin says without pause, and Luffy shrivels up dramatically, hands clasped over his lips. 

Ah, Gin has found a great weapon against Luffy. He needs to teach it to Nami later. 

“Emerald City,” he decides to talk, putting a freckled hand on Luffy’s head. “Buildings made of gems and jewels. And it’s not under the control of the Celestial Dragons or the Marines or even the Pirates-- so there, you can live  _ free _ .”

Luffy rolls around again so he’s facing the ceiling, laying oddly comfortable in Gin’s lap. He’s no longer sure how they ended up in this position anymore.

One word however, catches the boy’s attention. “Celestial Dragon?”

“The people that lord over the World Government,” Gin says, remembering that Luffy’s pretty dumb on these things. “You don’t know who they are? They’re the--”

“No, I know who they are.” 

Gin blinks. Luffy says that in a strangely serious tone, and chases no more. Gin doesn’t think much of it and continues talking.

“When you’re in Emerald City, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done or who you are,” he says. “Everyone there lives fairly, justly, and as equals without prejudice.”

Something seemed to change in Luffy’s eyes.

(But Gin isn’t sure what part of it changed that gaze.)

“I lived stealing from corpses, killing for food, and using people for time. Then Don Krieg found me... and you know the rest,” Gin tells him. “That’s why I want to find Emerald City. It’s my dream.” 

And when Gin keeps talking, Luffy just listens, making his little dumb queries every now and then.

And as he finds it enjoyable to keep talking about this nonsense with his new captain in his lap, Gin thinks that something inside of him is changing, too.

-

* * *

-

Kogatana is knocked out of Zoro’s hand for the third time that day. He’s starting to get frustrated now.

Kinoko caws and raises her left wing, indicating that the winner of this round was Usopp. She’s still looking in the other direction, because she just  _ knew _ Zoro wasn’t winning today either.

“It’s got no weight,” he groans, “it’s like it’s going to break any second it hits  _ anything _ .”

Usopp disassembles the Clima Tact. “At the rate you were going, you would break even Ichimonji one day, Zoro. You’re treating them like a brute.”

Zoro’s eye twitches. 

Surely, that isn’t the first time he’s received a similar warning. He’s broken countless of his normal swords before this, gone through many nameless pieces of garbage while barely keeping Ichimonji together.

“It’s not about the force and the power-- though you’ve got that going for you and that’s great,” Usopp tells him. “But people like me and Nami, we’ve got nothing for us except our brains.”

Zoro prepares to call bullshit, but Usopp chuckles dismissively before it even begins.

“But Mihawk, you see-- he’s a guy with  _ both _ and so much more,” Usopp says. “People like that are cool, don’t you think? Have I told you about the cowardly warrior? He spent two years building up pure muscle because--”

Zoro tunes that out. 

(Swordsmanship without grace is a weak sword.)

He picks up Kogatana again.

“--and when he got back, new arsenal and… you’re not listening,” Usopp says, leaning against the ledge with a knowing smile. “So, one more round?”

Zoro doesn’t give him a warning.

He eyes the blade closely-- focusing, deeply, thinking-- then he takes a breath. And then out, he lunges forward.

Usopp takes just one step to the side, throwing the clima tact back together in a haste, using the edge of the baton to catch the blade and slide it over the edge. Kogatana embeds into the ledge, sinking in nearly halfway through.

Usopp hums. 

Immediately as Zoro notices the clima tact is missing a piece, he gets bowled over the back of his head by a flying piece of metal.

And then it slots right back to the top of the baton.

Kinoko caws out the victor agan, raising her left wing.

Usopp blinks, confused for a moment on what exactly happened. Did something just come back? Did it hit Zoro like a boomerang over the head? Oh.

“Was that Cyclone Tempo? Hey Nami, looks like I managed to do Cyclone Tempo by accident.” 

“Good for you, Usopp.”

“Please sound happier about it!”

“Damn it, Usopp, this is a swordfight!” Zoro snaps, grabbing the boy by the collar, “and damn that fucking hurt!”

“Sorry, sorry!” Usopp says, looking away immediately, “totally didn’t mean to do it I swear. I don’t even know how I did it. I’m sorry.”

“You were assembling them and missed one,” Gin offers very helpfully, “then that one just kept spinning and came back.”

“It usually breaks skulls at that speed, so good thing you have a hard head, Zoro,” Nami offers monotonously, flipping through the newspapers. 

“This is mutiny!”

“This little thing couldn’t have hit that hard-- wOAH!” Sanji sinks slightly from the surprising weight when Usopp nonchalantly hands the long baton to him. 

“It’s heavy, isn’t it?” Usopp says.

Zoro snatches it out of the cook’s hands. “It’s about as heavy as my sword,” he notices with a grimace. “That’s why I said our weapons aren’t fair. You have the weight to counter me and all I have is a butter knife.”

“A butter knife that nearly killed you,” Usopp elaborates very necessarily, so Zoro knocks him over the head in retaliation.

Kinoko raises her right arm this time when she caws.

Usopp laughs.

Nami hides her face behind her newspaper and smiles.

-

After lunch, Nami takes off her shoes, and bares, for the first time to most of them, her metal foot. Usopp sits beside her, fiddling around with the pieces to get a general idea of the shape and structure. 

Setting it down on a non-slip rug, Usopp takes the time to feel around the area, counting as many pieces as the blueprints indicate (Nami’s reading out the details to him), and making sure he knows how to put it back together. 

“Wait, you had a metal foot too?” Luffy says, “that’s so cool!”

“No, Luffy. It can’t shoot laser beams,” is Nami’s immediate response. “It’s only metal from the ankle down, so it’s not as solid as my arm.”

“Oh, because it twists easily,” Usopp says. “Could we alter it to bring it up to your knee?”

“I would, but Vista said there wasn’t much point to that with my fighting style. Harder to hide, too,” she sighs. 

“I think Nami-san’s perfect as she is,” Sanji says, entering the scene with a nice cold drink on a tray.

And just naturally, Nami’s lips stretch into a smile. “Thank you, Sanji-kun.”

Usopp tries to pretend he isn’t smiling, busying his hands with getting the parts together. The polishing kit is beside him, the cleaning kit is to the left of that, and--

“Hey, Usopp, you better not be thinking unsavory things while fondling Nami’s feet, got it?” Sanji has turned his animosity toward Usopp for no reason now.

And Usopp sputters, face heating up. He drops the part he’s holding as if it’d burned him, “Hey, don’t make it weird!”

Luffy picks up a metal part, momentarily amusing himself with a screw by holding it up to the sky and catching the reflection.

When the light that comes back is blue with the wind, he turns around-- and he sees it.

An island in the distance.

“Oooh!!” he drops the screw (Sanji dives to catch it before it lands on the deck and starts rolling) and beams, “land! Nami! There’s an island!”

-

“See it? That’s Loguetown.”

Luffy was strangely quiet at the sight. Usopp had never noticed it the first time around, but Luffy greeted Loguetown with reverence and respect.

It’s something rare-- but then again, there are many things about Luffy that Usopp never quite noticed the first time around.

“There’s a marine base on it, so be careful on land,” Nami warns them firsthand. “We don’t want to lose any chances of getting out in time.”

She’s wearing a halter top with her shorts and boots, so her arm and her Whitebeard Mark are in full view. 

Gin stares at her like he really wants to say something about it.

“The squall is coming really soon, so we need to get our duties under way now,” Nami turned around, speaking in tone of a strategy meeting. 

Zoro groans. 

“Eh, but I wanted to explore,” Luffy whines.

“You can go explore, Luffy,” Nami says without much thought. “Sanji and Usopp can handle the grocery and supply shopping. Zoro, you need swords, right? Then go ahead. Gin, can you come with me to sell the books?”

“Huh? Uh, right.”

“Aye, Nami-swan! I’ll look after the blind bastard.”

“I’ll be fine on my own, Sanji.”

“I wanna go to the execution platform!”

“Wait, I decided that I’m not using my swords until I master the Kogatana--”

Zoro trails off when a wad of bills are shoved into his hand. And when you get  _ money _ of all things from Nami, there’s some sort of otherworldly miracle occurring and you need to shut up.

It’s a hundred thousand beri. Which is still too damn little for good swords, but at least it’s cash. But still. 

“You’re gonna charge me for this, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, at a 300% interest.”

“Take it back, you witch!”

“Okay, you can return the remaining 200,000 at a later date.” 

“The interest rate starts now?!”

Luffy sits on the bow, looking toward the island in the distance. Gin leans over the bow, sharing the view with a slightly different reverence within him. 

At this pace, they would probably reach the island in an hour. 

The breeze blows toward the island, and the waves draw them in like a slow, draggy flow pulling them in. It's the first call of the Grand Line, the sea's arms opened, enticing unknowing visitors to the edge of an unimaginable adventure.

At some point, Gin couldn’t imagine he would willingly return to this very scene again. Sure, he’s with less stellar company now depending on how you look at it, but it’s still the same starting line he once ran away from.

He reaches up to his head, only to belatedly remember that Sanji purged his stained bandanna from the ship three days ago. Maybe he should go get a new one...

“So that’s the town the Pirate King died, huh,” Luffy says, almost to himself.

“Yeah,” Gin says, “the town of the beginning and the end.”

Luffy rests a hand on his straw hat, and Gin can’t help but have his eyes linger on the red ribbon a little longer.

He’s not sure why he can’t quite tear his eyes from it.

_ ("It has a voice that just draws you in," Usopp eventually tells him. "It's a very special hat, Gin.") _

_ ("Voice?" Gin asks, but Usopp just chuckles in response, telling him he'll understand eventually.) _

-

The exact moment they anchored the ship, Luffy shoots off toward the Town Square. For once, he forgoes the rocket-- before anyone notices, he’s on the shore and running toward some crowded direction.

Nami sighs in defeat.

“Right, everyone dismissed. We’ll leave Merry here with Noko-chan, so she’ll be fine,” she tells them. “Come back on time, alright?”

Overhead, a distinctive birdsong responds with some shrill tune of recess.

“Eh? You don’t need Noko-chan to spread out that shit over the town?” Sanji asks, “you know, the shit that helps you map out landscape.”

“Please don’t phrase it she’s defecating over the city,” is Usopp’s deadpanned response. “This city is too busy for that. Plus, I have a general understanding of the landscape and my walking stick. I'll be fine.”

“Well, whatever.”

“You’re the one that asked,” Usopp sighs. Then he raises his hand to get the attention of their most responsible member right now. “Nami, the one you should be most worried about just went off,” he says in a perfect monotone, pointing in Zoro’s general direction.

“Hold it right there, Zoro! At least bring Noko-chan with-- never mind, she has to watch the ship. Ugh. Usopp, prepare a tracking device."

"I'm not a mechanic, Nami. I can't make stuff like that."

"Man, you're useless."

“Sorry, ma’am,” Usopp hikes a knee up over the edge, walking stick in one hand and holding his bag down on the other. “Got lots on my shopping list, so I’ll get going.”

They barely manage a wave before the sniper drops to shore-- and his figure vanishes in a shifty blur right away.

“...Did he just disappear?” Sanji asks.

“Looks like he  _ is _ learning new things, huh?” Nami chuckles. “You might want lessons soon, Sanji-kun. That’s useful for your fighting style.”

“Ehhhhh.”

“Nami-san,” Gin emerges from the deck, setting one last book on the pile already out in display, “I got all the books out. Which ones did you say we should hide again?”

Nami straightens from the bow, stretching out her sore joints.

“Guess it’s time for work. See ya, Sanji-kun!” she says, giving him a curt wave, “I’ll leave the groceries to you!”

“Aye, Nami-swan,” Sanji grins with salute. Then he immediately zeroes in on the man with “Gin, not a scratch on our queen, you hear?”

“Yeah, yeah whatever. Get to the fucking fish market already,” Gin groans at him before closing the door above him and retreating back down to the men’s quarters.

Sanji turns around, hops off the ship, and lands on the shore. 

“The fish market, huh,” he considers. 

Noticing the ebb and flow of the crowd, he figured the morning market would most probably be along the shore, just a couple roads away from this port. 

“Yeah, that’s a good place to start.” 

-

**_“Yeah, most of us call him Commander, or Dragon-san,” Koala explained, “but when we’re on espionage, we tend to just say ‘boss’ or ‘leader’.”_ **

**_Usopp hummed at that._ **

**_He still wasn’t used to all this undercover work, but since Sanji and Robin were here too (though rarely with him,) he was pretty comfortable settling himself in slowly._ **

**_And just for today, Nami was here too._ **

**_Koala had invited her over for tea. The three Strawhats, Koala, and Sabo too, gathered for the first time in a while, just to catch up._ **

**_(It hadn’t been that long after Luffy’s execution.)_ **

**_“I remember we once called him ‘the big guy’ on a mission,” Robin muses from her spot by the window, thanking the passing grunt for the tea. Nami settles before the archaeologist, nursing her own cup._ **

**_Koala snickers at that, “and there was a time Sabo called him ‘Uncle Draco’!”_ **

**_Sabo’s face heats up immediately, “wh- wai- Koala!!”_ **

**_Koala giggles at that. Nami and Robin burst into laughter, too, to Sabo’s increasing displeasure._ **

**_Usopp found their reactions rather endearing, and seeing how Luffy was no longer around to make similar fun, it was nice. It was probably the first time in much too long that they’ve seen Nami crack a true smile._ **

**_“Draco? That asshat doesn’t deserve such a cool name,” Sanji groans over his cup of shitty coffee, “what about Gon? Let’s go with Gon.”_ **

**_That got Sabo flustered in a whole other sort of way. “Sanji, that’s your current leader you’re talking about...”_ **

**_“What, not enough respect in that name?” Sanji mutters, sarcastic, “then how about_ ** **_Uncle_ ** **_Gon?”_ **

**_“That’s not the problem-- Koala, stop laughing!” Sabo snaps. “Sanji, please-- not you too, Robin! Nami, no! Usopp, I thought you were my ally!”_ **

-

Usopp’s mind lingers on that bittersweet memory for just a little longer.

He doesn’t really know the way, contrary to what he’s said before. It’s impossible to figure which roof starts and ends where, with as many buildings as there are in this city. 

But he didn’t really need to know the way.

He finds a figure in the distance, and he just needs to follow his route. He can tell the rest from his limited vision-- though it makes him a little dizzy, but that’s fine, it’s not for long.

He trails the man without even an attempt to hide, and the man speeds up. Usopp isn’t worried-- he’s worried about stumbling, but he’s not ever going to lose sight of his target. 

And finally, a few paces away from the execution grounds, the man turns around to confront his stalker. 

“Since you’ve been there for a while now, I take it we’re not just coincidentally headed in the same direction.”

Usopp holds up his hands in a sign of surrender, indicating he means no harm here.

He can’t see how the person looks, of course. But from the colours-- it’s almost the same sandy colour as the roof under their feet-- it’s a raincoat, a cape, whatever you call it. Usopp’s worn one of those before so he doesn’t need to recognize the person’s haki signature to know he’s the right one to look for.

In fact, they’re moving at a speed where the usual citizen would dismiss overhead. 

When Sabo turns around, his demeanor is wary and his Haki is firm-- that means he acknowledges Usopp’s haki signature as well-- just, not in a friendly way.

“I just need directions, good sir,” Usopp phrases, imitating the speech patterns of someone he can’t quite remember anymore. 

When Sabo speaks nothing, Usopp continues. 

“Would you happen to know where the dragon’s den is? It’s a pub, I’ve heard it’s down the street from the bear’s paw, but I can’t seem to locate either of them.”

Just a little, Sabo’s haki curves, bubbles-- and just as quickly, he grasps it right back firmly. The falter is indiscernible to a normal haki user, but Usopp’s sensitive to these changes. He catches it immediately and smiles.

“It’s closed for the anniversary of the Pirate King’s execution,” Sabo replies. A moment of hesitation later, he adds, “but I can leave a word for the master if you’re in a rush.”

That’s exactly what he wants.

“Really? That would be great,” and Usopp steps forward, reaching casually into his pocket and retrieving a piece of paper. “I would like some sake delivered to this address, anytime in the next week. Tell the master to send his best brew.”

Sabo receives the paper, briefly confused.

But he looks up again and Usopp is gone.

-

It’s too hard to recall the stranger’s haki signature again, so Sabo pockets the paper and returns to his mission preparations. It’s right about time for him to meet Dragon, after all.

It’s strange.

He’s been in the army for more than ten years now. He would know anyone, even undercover agents, that are his age. If not by name, at least by face or by aura signature.

Even then, no one’s ever been on an undercover mission for more than five years at a time, and even then, those were missions for the veterans. Dragon was strict on that, if not anything else in the world.

And yet… and yet, that man knew the most unused revolutionary army code. 

The one that meant ‘I can’t meet you guys yet, but I have something important to say’. Emergency ranked, but spoken so subtly and perfectly, Sabo had to be taken aback from reacting himself.

He sighs. No point thinking much about it. 

He opens the note under his coat.

“He wants our best agent… to the Whitebeards?” he mumbles to himself.

-

Kinoko watches as Nami and Gin leave the ship, a sack of tree-smelling books thrown over their shoulders. 

She sees the coast is clear and curls into her little nest, getting ready to sleep.

“So this is Strawhat’s ship...”

She wakes up, opening one eye to the intruder that, somehow, was  _ already _ on their land. She squeaks and dashes back, rolling head and ankles over before slipping clumsily back forward and then flapping her wings out in a show of intimidation. 

“Holy fU-- shh! SHHH!” the human flusters, flapping his own arms right back and Kinoko starts squawking loudly so the man grabs at Kinoko to force her beak shut. “Don't make a fuss! C’mon! Shush bird!”

Luckily, Kinoko knows self-defense from years of dealing with human hatchlings, so she squirms roughly, breaking free with a sharp scratch of her claw.

She flies to higher ground with a victorious huff. Hah! Catch that, I”m better than you, you puny humans. Try grabbing me again and you’ll lose an eye next--

To her almost displeasure, though, the intruder just purses his lips in an almost annoyed manner. The finger she was  _ sure _ she had clawed right off is still perfectly attached, not a drop of blood on his oddly smooth white fingers. 

“Oh do whatever you want, you dumb bird,” the intruder says. “Which of the mutts picked  _ you _ up? One hell of a flamboyant fucking pet they’ve got this time.”

Kinoko stares at the intruder skeptically.

Usually, she could feel something. It’s how Usopp talks to her, by fluctuating that coloured little wave around them in either kiki or bouba or even something more complicated-- that’s how they went past the language barrier.

But this intruder-- she could feel nothing.

Not a speck, not a hint.

He was empty, just like the human that was beside the half-aquatic in the castle.

She just wanted him to get out of the ship already. Why is he here? Don’t humans know better than to go into someone else’s territory? 

Instead, the human makes his way to Kinoko’s nest (THAT’S MY NEST!!) and leaves a little red orb there. The utter gall! 

“Okay, okay, I’m leaving, geez!” 

Kinoko remembers to peck his eye out as he scrambles out of the ship.

Returning to her now slightly messy nest with one tired huff, Kinoko sort of wishes she got to peck out his other eye too, because that was an invasion of privacy there! Rude!

She spots the red orb. 

It’s deep red, and has a weird drawing on it. Kinoko wants nothing but to drop it in the sea, but with how shiny it was, surely it was valuable.

There’s a little satchel by the mast for emergency coins, in case the News Coo came by and they needed some change quickly.

So Kinoko picks up the little red orb and puts it in the satchel.

She then returns to her nest and takes a nap.

_ That human sure had a weird face _ , she thought.  _ Big red nose and everything. _


	22. break the barrel, drink with him.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's just a small shopping trip for the Strawhats-- but not at all for the citizens of Loguetown that day.
> 
> Buggy puts on a show. It's flashy, but it's very different from his usual publicity stunts. 
> 
> Heels come down on the barrel, and the lighthouse leads the way.

“Here’s your keep,” the disgruntled auctioneer said, handing Nami a huge worn-out duffel bag filled to the brim with pure cash. 

Nami grins at him. “Thanks for the service!”

Gin stares at the scene almost awkwardly as he finally understands why Nami decided to brazenly show off her mark here. They would have scammed them dead otherwise, wouldn’t they?

Gin takes it and easily hefts it over his shoulder. He figured that this was his job to begin with-- to be the work horse. 

“Thanks for the constant glaring, Gin,” Nami says once they’re out, and Gin looks over with slight surprise, not actually aware that he was doing that. “It saved me some face muscles!”

“You were frowning a lot too,” Gin says, not really meaning anything by it. 

“Yes, but they were much more scared of you, y’know,” Nami chuckles. “Want to do some shopping? We can get you a new weapon.”

Gin looks at the duffel bag in his arm and wonders how the crowd would react if two of the highest bounty heads in East Blue walked into a clothes store together.

Well, fuck staying subtle then.

“Yeah, sure.”

-

Nami puts her seastone bangle into Gin’s hands.

Gin stares back, confused.

“You don’t have your tonfas on you, so use that.”

Gin is even more confused now, and his expressions clearly translated that thought, because Nami chuckles in response.

“You can give it back to me when you’ve used it, maybe, once.”

“You sound like an NPC giving me a side quest.”

Nami laughs at that.

-

* * *

-

Well, Luffy is lost.

More like, he never had an idea of where the execution stand was to begin with. He just turns whatever road feels right and somehow, he’s not at the execution stand yet. That’s weird. What’s wrong with the streets?

He runs into Sanji twice and Zoro once, but he still can’t find it.

“What’re you doing all the way out here, you flashy bastard?”

And Luffy turns around, confused. The man in the cloak is frowning at him-- Luffy notices the red nose and it seems familiar. 

“Oh, you’re the guy Nami told me to beat up,” he says, like it’s obvious.

And Buggy the Clown clicks his tongue. Crossing his arms, he stands offishly to the side, and he grimaces. “I’m Buggy, _Captain_ Buggy.”

“Oh, right. Whatever.”

“Don’t be an obnoxious brat, seriously, you’re a fucking terrible guy to plan around.”

Then Luffy feels his cheeks being pulled out, and it takes him another second to see the floating hand right over there, tugging him over as they headed in the opposite direction of where he had been heading before.

“You suicidal bastards never even _think_ of disguising yourselves before coming here, huh? Saw Nami gallivanting a while back,” Buggy scoffs, “geez. The D is really fucking infectious, ain’t it?”

“Whu- hwat’s dis? Leggo!” he whines, but the hand is firm.

“You’re headed toward the execution stand, right? It’s this way,” Buggy informs him, and Luffy stops to listen, slightly curious. “I’m sure Captain Roger is just as excited to see you, too.”

“W’oger?”

“Didn’t Shanks tell you? About our crew,” Buggy tells him, belatedly remembering that they didn’t have any of their hat-stabbing cabin-boying treasure-talk this time around. Which is probably what made him less memorable to the boy, in hindsight.

“Ya knew Shanks?!”

Buggy lets go of his cheek.

“Right. Guess we’re having a story session first.”

-

* * *

-

Zoro accidentally crushes not-Kuina’s glasses, and he’s forced toward a Marine base of all locations, and now he’s mopping their floors.

“I’ve heard that someone saw Roronoa Zoro in our base, mopping our floors. How funny would that be?”

Zoro raises an eyebrow at the gossip down the hall.

“Considering our history? Not at all,” the other voice groans. “Captain SMoker would literally have our heads. Don’t even joke about it.”

“Oh c’mon, it’s not that serious.”

“It is!” There’s annoyance in that tone. “How many times do you think Namizo’s snuck in like that?”

 _Namizo?_ Zoro looks to the side and spots Nami’s wanted poster.

Her suggestive gravure magazine-looking pose aside, she smiles almost smugly. There's a plethora of messy red markers over her picture claiming loudly, ‘IF SEEN, NOT A CHORE BOY. PLEASE ARREST’.

_Oh, she’s mentioned that before, hasn’t she. Something about sneaking on Marine Ships as a cabin boy._

“I’ve chatted with him, I mean her,” the soldiers are still gossiping, “he’s a pretty nice guy. I mean girl.”

“Was it worth the extra training for not reporting that we had a stowaway?”

“Absolutely.”

“You are trash, my friend. You are _trash_.”

“This is why you don’t have friends, brother.”

Zoro hears the sound of fist hitting head and an ‘ow!’. 

“Enough about that. If we fall for another obvious fugitive hiding among our midst doing the laundry, I might just cry!” the marine soldier turns the corner and-- freezes.

Because he sees Roronoa Zoro there, brooms in his hand and one around his teeth.

Jaws dropped. Zoro calmly puts down the brooms.

Then “RORONOA ZORO IS SWEEPING OUR FLOORS!”

“ALARM! SOUND THE ALARM!”

“NOT A CHORE BOY PLEASE ARREST!”

“WHY IS HE SWEEPING OUR FLOORS?! WHY DO FUGITIVES LIKE SWEEPING OUR FLOORS SO MUCH?!”

Needless to say, Zoro bucks the hell out of there.

-

Zoro honestly thinks it’s purely ridiculous that he’s found such a good sword exactly when he intends to not use one for a while.

He takes off his earrings and leaves them on the ship just to show his resolve regarding it, and of all things, he runs into Sandai Kitetsu, notorious wielder-murderer.

And hell, it’s reverberating with some crazy bloodlust.

(He briefly finds himself wondering if this is what Nami means when she says inanimate things that are made with soul tend to have recognizable voices.) 

“You should get that sword!” the Kuina-lookalike that Zoro _really_ wants to get away from is leaning closer by the millisecond. 

“No, you shouldn’t,” the shopkeeper snaps at them, “that sword is--”

“--cursed,” Zoro says, taking the sword out of the scabbard to raise it to the light, admiring the crimson temper line, a delicate wave so masterfully crafted.

Zoro may not know much of terminologies and legends, but he knows a beast when he sees one. And he’s no idiot, he knows he _needs_ this in his arsenal if he wants to become the Greatest Swordsman in the world.

He prods at the hundred thousand beri in his hand and realizes that this had been part of Nami’s plan to begin with-- or maybe it was just fate, because the coincidental sequence of events are just too uncanny to dismiss.

And just maybe, these are instincts of a warrior of the Grand Line.

He grins. 

Then his instincts should be trusted, right?

“I like it. I’m taking it,” he declares, to the peanut gallery’s blatant shock.

-

* * *

-

Sanji watches as Usopp taps around carefully, occasionally bumping into shoulders and children, but making gradual progress.

“Shit, I’m so worried I can’t even look at the women.”

He follows him for a while, smoking with a hesitant twirl in his tongue as Usopp barely dodges a ditch and then trips over a heightened part of the pavement, but the boy gathers himself with no less than a minor inconvenience and continues on. 

Sanji crunches the cigarette under his feet and goes up to him, placing a hand on Usopp’s shoulder. “Hey, Usopp.”

And to Sanji’s surprise, Usopp’s reaction is to loudly flinch and spin around, walking stick thrown up and poised hastily before him with two shaky hands. 

Sanji watches the reaction, registering that he’s so flustered he’s holding the stick like a total amateur at staff weapons. Then the chef hesitantly raises his arms out in a ‘I mean no harm’ way.

“Oh, it’s you, Sanji,” Usopp says, visibly breathing out in relief as he set his walking stick back down.

“My bad,” Sanji says, “you’ve never reacted so strongly to surprises before.”

“Yes, because I haven’t been surprised in _two_ years, Sanji,” Usopp responds immediately. “You don’t sneak up behind blind people and _surprise_ them. We have a walking stick for two reasons, okay?”

Sanji stews on what the two reasons could be, then he hums in disinterest. “But you’ve never been surprised by sudden touches before.”

“Yes, because I was not in a crowd and trying to focus on _walking_.”

“Ah, got it,” Sanji says, dismissively if not anything else, “can you even see what store you walk into?”

Usopp hesitates for half a second. “...no,” he says, “but I can--”

“Yeah, bullshit,” Sanji says, grabbing Usopp’s forearm and leading him away. “C’mon, we don’t have all day.”

“Wait, what?”

-

Usopp had been here a dozen times in the past, this town being one of the most well-stocked islands in the East. He knew a couple of stores by name and owner, though his connections are now useless and store names are only useful as far as being blind in a tourist hotspot goes.

So when Sanji takes him by the elbow and starts leading him around, Usopp is the most surprised of them all.

“Here, Gunther’s Geschaft,” Sanji pushes Usopp into the store. 

“Oh, thanks,” Usopp composes himself. He makes his way from there to the counter, where the slightly ruffled shopkeeper hums in acknowledgement.

Usopp knows instantly that he’s underestimated blind discrimination, because in a second, old man Gunther’s voice changes from amusement to disinterested.

Usopp starts listing what he needs, and the man clicks his tongue at him.

He takes it in stride. He’ll have to get used to underestimation-- it’ll be a great weapon. It has always been, except this time, it’s not something that can be changed by putting on a mask or calling himself a god. 

He finds two dented nails and three awry screws in his pack-- he respectfully asks for a change, but he knows old man Gunther only obeyed because Sanji was oozing bloodlust right behind him.

They pay, and Sanji drags Usopp right out.

He can’t help but smile. Sanji’s always been magnificently irked by these sorts of insults, and Usopp’s quite flattered, yet slightly insulted, to be protected like this.

But it’s fine.

It’s Sanji, and that’s how Sanji operates.

They go around like that for a while, Usopp occasionally feeling around for rare things-- and then getting them, after masterfully subverting cheesy marketing lies. 

Their last stop is a little store on a homely hill, a cluttercore little establishment that seemed to have anything and sell anything.

Usopp doesn’t ask for anything. He walks over to the side, browsing the displays with his hands-- before finally, finding the one pair of goggles he used to wear.

He takes it off the shelf, carefully-- and then it’s gone.

“Hey, I want this one!” a girl’s cheerful voice chirps at the counter, and Usopp just _knows_ that this little brat just stole those right off his hands. Just like last time. 

You’ve _got_ to be kidding. 

Usopp is out of the door right behind the kid. “Hold it, girl, I got those first!” Usopp says, assertively, very well aware that he’s acting like a brat, but well-- _she started it_! 

He hears Sanji sigh in the corner.

“Isn’t it fine, just let her have it,” he says. 

Usopp does _not_ like that idea. Sure, he’s blind now, but those were the goggles that got him through the first year. 

They’re the goggles Sanji retrieved for him in Alabasta, they were the goggles everyone’s picked up at least once for him, and many times more helped him fix because they _knew_ it was important. 

There was sentimental value in it, and they’re definitely more comfortable than his current pair.

“Papa, that guy wants to steal my present for you!”

Sanji chokes on his tobacco. Usopp does a whole spit take when he suddenly realizes Daddy Masterson is there, and his voice is _hostile._

Ah, regret. 

Usopp casually drops his walking stick beside Sanji, and he raises both hands. “Right, my bad. But I really want those goggles, so I would like to buy them off of you.”

“Wait a second, Usopp, what are you thinking?!” Sanji snaps-- but Usopp’s confident expressions seem to make him falter. “Dude. Just apologize and let’s go.”

“No,” Usopp insists, “or if I may request a duel with you, sir? I consider myself quite a sharpshooter, if anything else.”

Daddy Masterson clicks his tongue. 

“What makes you think I’ll entertain this--”

Usopp isn’t sure what happens then. Daddy stops talking, and his voice falters in a sort of confusion, before settling in acknowledgement.

Did he recognize Usopp as Yasopp’s son? Or did Sanji perhaps say or gesture something? Usopp doesn’t know.

What he knows is that less than a moment later, they’re lined up back to back with guns in their hands. There’s a wide berth around them, and Sanji’s voice is growing more concerned by the second.

Usopp smiles. 

“Don’t worry, Sanji, I’ve got this handled,” he says. “We’re in the crew of the future Pirate King, so you can’t be scared of something like this.”

His words leave a stilted silence in the atmosphere, and whispers immediately reverberate through the crowd. 

“You’ve got some guts to say that in this town,” Daddy tells him, and Usopp hears the noise of him thumbing down the safety. 

Usopp does the same. 

“One.”

The duel begins, and Usopp takes a step forward.

Last time around, he didn't do this at all. He didn’t bother to stew on the regality of this duel when he was a coward, thinking of only the fastest way to hightail right out. 

“Two.” 

But now, he has the courage and the skills to go right for it. He’s done this to a rookie last time around, the rookie lost, curling up in a panicked ball instead of shooting. (Usopp had a nice laugh about it before sending him off with a pat on the shoulder.)

He closes his eyes, and smiles.

“Three.”

Daddy spins around, raising the gun and-- fire. 

Usopp matches him, raising his gun with one hand. He swerves just half a tilt to the right, and pulls the trigger immediately after sensing the projectile beside his face.

Daddy had a second to swerve his face to the right, but the bullet scrapes the man’s cheek.

The silence that permeates the next second is almost _exhilarating_ . Usopp lowers his gun, breathing out. His eyes open again when the crowd goes absolutely _wild_.

“Holy shit, did that just happen?!”

“Daddy the Father just lost in a quick draw duel!”

“Against a _kid_!”

Usopp steps forward, spinning the gun to the heel end for the man to retrieve it. “That was a great match. Thank you for the opportunity.”

“Why did you close your eyes?” Daddy asks, not moving yet to touch the weapon.

Usopp blinks once, slowly. 

"I'm blind," he admits. Then he smiles, though mirthfully. “And also, a coward."

And from the voice that comes back, he knows that Daddy Masterson understands what he meant. Usopp respected this man last time, and that wasn’t without reason.

The gun is taken from him.

“I think you’re a great man,” Usopp tells him with a grin, “why don’t you go back to the marines and come after me some day?”

Daddy scoffs fondly at that. “You’re just like your father, huh?”

Usopp laughs. “No, unlike him, guns just aren’t quite my thing.”

And Usopp straps the goggles on, feeling much better with the familiar weight on his head. Then he waves back at the father-daughter pair as he leaves, Sanji depositing the walking stick into his hand as he turns.

“Wait, when did you take that?” Carol yelps, more surprised than angry at the thievery. 

“I’m so sorry about him, little lady. He’s got no tact at all,” Sanji enters the scene, getting on his knees, “would you like some of this cotton candy I got from the store over there?”

Pleasantly distracted, Carol finds herself with a handful of pink sugary fluff. 

“Sorry if he hurt your pride or something,” Sanji says to Daddy, curtly, “that blind bastard loves to show off, y’know.”

“Wait, blind?” Carol asks.

“Yes, Carol-chan,” Daddy says, resting his hand on her head. “Don’t worry about it, though. It seems I still have a lot to learn.”

Sanji hums, then excuses himself easily from there, his feet taking him quickly to where the long-nosed sniper had gone quite far ahead. And he bonks him over the head, yelling something about manly decency against a child as they continued down the road.

Daddy the Father laughs into the sky. “How ironic,” he thinks, “one man takes my dream away, and his son gives it right back to me.”

“What’s wrong, Papa?” Carol asks.

Daddy grins, “hey Carol, what do you think of going on a sea journey with Papa?”

-

“Guns aren’t your thing? Then why’d you shoot?” Sanji asks him once they’ve gone away from the scene.

Usopp taps experimentally at the steps before carefully making his way down. Sanji stays just two steps ahead of him, looking up with attention.

“That was a quick draw duel,” Usopp explains, “not shooting would be an insult.”

Sanji raises an eyebrow at that. Yeah, that made sense-- duels like these were about who could draw their gun quickly and accurately when put under abrupt pressure. Not firing on equal terms would be not acknowledging their opponent worthy of a bullet.

“How do you even aim? Or dodge?” Sanji asks, “and now that we’re entering the Grand Line for real, I’m no longer accepting _instinct_ as an answer.”

Usopp barks out a laugh. 

“I see better with my eyes closed,” he says. He stops at his step and looks out toward the scenery-- toward the town-- and his eyes flutter shut.

Sanji stops there too, looking out curiously. 

He raises his hand in a finger gun, pointed straight forward. “First, I look for the voice of my opponent. Then I listen for other things-- his intent, his bloodlust. His one moment of resolution, right before he pulls the trigger.”

Usopp puts his hand down and opens his eyes.

“When you can do that much, it’s easy,” he says. “I just had to follow the same trajectory, and pull the trigger after the bullet passed my ear.”

Sanji blinked, confusedly. “But if you knew that much, why’d you take so long to shoot?” 

Usopp taps against the steps again, continuing to make his way down.

“Hey, answer my question!”

Surely, if Usopp had really known where the bullet was going to go, he would’ve shot in time with Daddy. Then the bullets would ricochet against each other, and the duel would end in a draw.

Sanji took another step and realized.

Usopp hadn’t wanted an easy draw. He wanted a fair, logical victory that didn’t make Daddy the Father feel like he’d lost single-handedly.

Was it a fluke? No one could quite tell, simply because it’s coincidental, a very near miss-- perhaps Daddy the Father aimed just a bit too to the side. Perhaps the dodging threw off the boy’s aim and it came luckily close to Daddy the Father. No one could tell.

And if no one can tell, that means they’re evenly matched.

Usopp was trying to show Daddy that friendly duels could happen, and they were fun.

He wasn’t trying to defeat Daddy the Father, he wasn’t trying to prove his skills. He was just taking the duel respectfully, and ending the duel on a lighthearted note.

Like a gentleman.

“C’mon, Sanji. We’re going to the fish market, right?”

Well, Sanji could respect that.

-

* * *

-

“You’ve got some guts showing your face in these parts, Namizo.”

Gin immediately tenses, bandanna on his head still with the price tag attached, but Nami’s posture is so relaxed, he can’t help but be distracted. 

She watches sweetly as the shopkeeper freezes midway through fitting her clothes into a big vinyl bag, and smiles, as if to urge her to go on, nothing’s wrong. 

“Nice to see you again, Captain Smoker,” she turns around, “but, my name is Nami now. Don’t you know you should respect a woman’s name?”

“If we cared about names on this sea, I wouldn’t be a marine and you wouldn’t be a pirate,” Smoker says, “that’s not the point. You _dare_ show up on my turf, _again_?”

“Awh, but Smoker-san, I was your chore boy for like, two months. Cut me some slack,” Nami says, a giggle at her lips.

“I’ve cut you twice too many slacks, I’ve got no more slacks to give!” Smoker snaps, reaching behind him and drawing his jutte. “You’ve got a bounty now, so I’m legally required to capture you.”

Nami feels sad when she sees Usopp, see how far she’s come, see how far he’s come from trembling under the deck with crosses and garlic around his neck.

It’s in rare moments like these that she realizes that she’s not that much different.

(She wonders if Usopp feels the same melancholy when he sees her.)

And Nami pouts. “Awh, tell Tashigi-chan I said hi, okay?”

“Tell her that yourself,” Smoker replies immediately. 

Smoker thrusts his arm forward in a cloud of piping gray smoke-- Nami swerves just a little to the side, lifting her metal arm up to grab him by the wrist, firm and taut.

The shopkeeper yelps, and every other customer in the shop screams, hurriedly escaping the scene in fear of a battlefield happening within.

Smoker tries to draw his arm back-- only to realize that the girl was stronger than him, physically-- or perhaps it was because he couldn’t turn into smoke to escape the grip and it was throwing him off.

Haki, uh. What a pain.

“What’s with the hostility?” Nami asks, smiling almost teasingly, “I properly paid for these clothes, you know. Though I haggled them about sixty percent of the way down.”

The old Nami would’ve been one of those that ran. The old Nami would’ve used her acting skills to get out of the situation, not make it worse.

“You’re not making it out of this island this time,” Smoker says, words bitter on his lips. 

Nami closes her eyes. She can’t quite feel out the crowd with her haki, but she can sense an amount of hostile presences aimed at her.

Nami smiles. “I will,” she declares, not a hint of doubt in her eyes. “You haven’t met my captain yet, have you?”

“I have met Whitebeard,” Smoker hisses.

“Not him,” Nami corrects. “I’m sure you’ve read the papers. Luffy’s the man who’ll become the Pirate King. You’ll see him soon, and you’ll be impressed.”

Smoker hesitates for only a second, trying to digest that new information.

It’s enough time for Gin to circle around him and bash a seastone-coated fist into the Marine Captain’s head.

The crowd freezes in shock, but Gin breathes out in relief and Nami breaks into laughter.

Smoker’s probably getting a concussion after this, but he’s far from actually out. Maybe he’ll be out for a minute or two,but soon he’ll be up and about with a jutte at their necks. Gin looks pale at this point, so he probably knows that as well.

Gin swipes sharply to the side, throwing the blood off of the seastone bangle before handing the ornament back to Nami.

“Can we run now?” he asks, as if he needed permission. He notices the price tag on his bandanna and tears it off quickly. 

And Nami is absolutely _charmed_. She slips the bangle back into her wrist and scoops up her bag of new clothes. 

“Let’s look for Luffy first, then.”

-

* * *

-

There’s a ruckus at the town square.

A huge ruckus, full of gossiping civilians and fussy tourists trying to understand what was going on. Some idiot was on the execution stand, and guards were threatening for him to get off or the authorities would be deployed.

But most of all was the confusion.

_(Who was that boy, and who’s the cloaked guy beside him?)_

Sanji, hefting the elephant tuna on his shoulder, looks over in surprise. Behind him, Usopp crashed into his back.

“What’s the big deal, Sanji?” he whines, rubbing his bent nose.

The running footsteps beside them are mismatched, Usopp turns around just in time to sense Nami running a little ahead of them-- and then she just freezes.

“You have got to be kidding,” Nami says.

Gin looks defeated at this point. “Is that who I think it is?”

There’s a yawn a little away from them, and Zoro finds himself in the impromptu meeting spot, three swords at his side. “Oh hey, everyone’s here. Where’s Luffy?”

And Sanji shakily points toward the execution stand.

Simultaneous gawks. 

Usopp squints in confusion. “Guys? I need an explanation?” he asks, but no one acknowledges his question.

“Sanji, Zoro, go get him back,” Nami orders. Sanji immediately tosses the elephant tuna at Usopp. “A storm’s coming, so we gotta sail out.”

“Aye sir!” they break right into a hard run.

“Sure they’ll be fine on their own?” Gin asks.

“Well, we need to get the ship ready.”

Usopp stares between them, flustered, “wait, explain the situation, I’m confused!”

-

Luffy stands at the execution platform, amazed by the view.

“C’mon, we don’t have much time,” Buggy calls for him. Still covered fully in his cloak, the senior pirate sits down to the left of the platform, retrieving a bottle of sake.

After a session of stories about Roger, Shanks, and their adventures in the same ship, Buggy brought Luffy to the execution platform in the pretense of introducing this brat to his former captain.

Luffy didn’t expect to come here with an escort, but it didn’t change much. He looks out toward the view-- taking in that this was the last thing the Pirate King saw in his life. 

**_“Hey, kid up there! And the mysterious man! Get down from there, that execution platform is government property and should not be approached so callously!”_ **

Luffy sits down opposite of him, taking in the sight of the two black sake dishes laid out before them. 

“What’s this?” 

Luffy knows very well what this is. 

Sake, cups, and sitting together like a quiet ceremony. He still doesn’t know why Buggy’s wearing a full cloak, but he doesn't care much about the details.

“Sakazuki,” Buggy answers him anyways, popping the bottle and pouring it out in equal portions. “You know what it means, don’t you?”

Luffy frowns. “It means we’re brothers, right?”

**_“Excuse me? If you don’t get down, we might have to remove you by force!”_ **

**_“Please come down without resistance!”_ **

Buggy already knew that Luffy wouldn’t like this idea very much. Brotherhood was something Luffy saw as a seat of pride only Ace and Sabo could have. 

“Only when you want it to,” Buggy says. “I’m offering you this cup, not for us to become brothers, but to acknowledge you as my Captain’s successor.”

“Successor?” Luffy asks, his arms crossed and his head tilted to the side in confusion.

All he knows about the sakazuki exchange is that you become brothers when you drink together. But Buggy seems like he knows more about this, so he has no reason to doubt it. Much more so when it sort of sounds cool.

Buggy lifts his cup with both hands. Turning toward the crowd with his face hidden under the hood, he grins and throws his voice. 

“You’re the man who’s going to take the crown. It’s only natural that I make the world know it’s for real.”

Luffy knows a flashy cue when he hears one. 

“I don’t really get it,” he says, but he picks up the sake cup with one hand and grins. Then he raises his dish forward and declares, loudly, “but you bet! I’m the man who’s going to become the Pirate King!!”

Maybe his smile was contagious, because Buggy smirked back just as widely.

**_“Wait, what did he just-- Did he just declare that--”_ **

**_“In this town?! Who is that boy?”_ **

**_“This is outrageous!”_ **

Their dishes clink against each other, then they throw it back in one powerful shot.

And right on cue, in the slightly cloudy weather with not a gray wisp in sight-- lightning struck down on the execution platform.

Like a strike from the gods themselves, lightning rained down on the wood, shattering it to bits with the force-- and then, it began to burn.

Horror falls over the city, mortified and bewildered all at once. 

There isn't not a fearful soul in the crowd, and every person watches with bated breath as rain begins to fall and the fire quells in the cold, cold silence.

Then finally, Luffy emerges from the wreckage. 

Laughing heartily, he picks up his fallen hat, and puts it back on his head.

“That surprised me!” he says. “Guess I survived. Shishishi!”

The cloaked figure had vanished.

**_“Hey…”_ ** the passers-by whisper to each other, conflicted awe in their voices. **_“What do you think just happened?”_ **

**_“He exchanged succession sake with a man on the execution platform, and then… it was destroyed. And then. And then-- the man disappeared.”_ **

**_“Like… like a ghost?”_ **

**_“Who was that man?”_ **

**_“Who could it have been? I don’t recognize the voice.”_ **

**_“Hey, do you think…”_ **

**_“Do you think…?”_ **

**_“Could it have been… Gold Roger himself?”_ **

**_“You mean he came back to life?”_ **

**_“No, that’s impossible. Maybe it’s a spirit.”_ **

**_“He came back as a-- a, to-- to declare the arrival of the--”_ **

**_“--the Pirate King’s appointed an official successor?!”_ **

**_“No, it’s got to be some kids playing an elaborate prank!”_ **

**_“On the execution platform? That’s a stretch no matter how you see it!”_ **

**_“The Straw Hat. It can’t be-- he’s the one! He’s the one from the rumours! He’s got to be the one Burglar Cat and Man-Demon are working under now!”_ **

**_“Holy shit. Holy shit.”_ **

**_“Marines! Get the Marines!”_ **

**_“Forget the Marines, this is breaking news! Reporters! Reporters!”_ **

Luffy doesn’t even seem to notice the growing chaos in the crowd. He just looks around until he spots Sanji and Zoro in the crowd, their eyes wide and jaws dropped in shock.

“Oh, Sanji and Zoro! There you guys are!” 

Sanji forgets his cigarette, simply staring at his captain in some sort of bewilderment.

“Hey, Mosshead,” he mutters, “just asking but. Well, do you believe in god?”

“Don’t talk bullshit,” Zoro hisses back, “scared the crap out of us. C’mon, Luffy, let’s go. Nami’s getting ready to sail already.”

“No seriously, I consider myself a skeptic, but at this point I’m starting to reconsider my view on the paranormal.”

“Shut up, swirly brows, you need to get your head checked?”

“Fuck off, mosshead, some divine miracle just fucking happened were you blind?”

“That’s Usopp, idiot-- hey Luffy, wait!”

Luffy dashes past them, snickering to himself. Zoro and Sanji spin around in their argument to follow his lead. 

-

Luffy runs ahead, looks back-- and is right hooked painfully at the neck, thrown back a few meters as he chokes for air in surprise.

“Luffy!” Zoro skids to a stop, hands reaching for WadoIchi instinctively.

Marine Captain Smoker stands before them, gaze darkened “So you are Nami’s new captain?” he asks. “You’re just a punk.”

Luffy looks up in surprise. “You know Nami?”

In the second they’ve stopped running, Marines surrounded them, rifles in hand. The rain falls harshly against their bodies, a small stream spilling across the paved ground. 

In the loud squall, there was silence between them.

“Roronoa Zoro!” 

Sergeant Major Tashigi emerges behind them, her fists tight and her gaze trained on the green-haired swordsman.

Zoro groans, externally.

“You tricked me, didn’t you?”

“Don’t blame me for your dumbass. You just didn’t ask,” Zoro replies. He spends a moment thinking before his hands reach for Ichimonji and drawing the sword from its sheath. 

“To think a cretin like you had his hands on a beautiful sword like the Wadou Ichimonji…” she draws her Shigure. “I will take it from your hands!”

“Hold on, Marimo. What’d you do to the pretty lady?!” Sanji swirls on him. “And what are you planning on doing over there?!”

“Go on ahead, Luffy.”

“Alright,” Luffy reaches for Sanji, taking his cook by the collar before stretching out to the roofs overhead.

But before he could stretch out-- Smoker shot forward.

A gloved hand clasped against Luffy’s throat immediately, throwing Lufy over his shoulder and bringing him down hard against the stone pavement. 

Sanji, thrown off by the momentum, skids back onto his feet only to be stopped by Marine soldiers in his path. He curses, spitting out his cigarette.

Luffy chokes-- but he throws his feet up, only for sandal to pass harmlessly across white smoke. Eyes widening in horror, he struggles against the gloves hands, to no avail.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Smoker mutters, “what sort of joke is this? A man like you, who can’t even use Haki, is leading Nami and the Man-demon around?”

**_“Gomu-Gomu no Pistol!”_ **

Smoker bursts into white clouds-- only to reemerge behind Luffy, slamming his face first down onto the ground, foot planting firmly on the boy’s back. 

“No matter. Your luck ends here,” he declares, reaching back to the seastone jutte.

But another hand interrupts, holding him back.

Smoker turns around, and his jaw drops in sickening horror.

“Dragon?”

-

* * *

-

Nami and Gin make their way back to the ship, hurrying to get the cargo under deck first and foremost. Usopp stays on the port, looking around confusedly.

There’s the disarray of the situation, the chaotic voices passing around.

But there’s something missing.

“Isn’t Buggy’s first mate and the lion supposed to be here?” he whispers to himself, confused. He’s distracted by Nami yelling orders as the anchor apparently almost gives way, and Gin’s panicked voice yells for Usopp to _get up here already and help_.

Usopp focuses on the storm. 

He’ll think about it later.

Kinoko lands on his shoulder, and Usopp climbs his way up to the ship. He can’t use his haki in all this disruption. He’ll have to focus on manning the ship now, with Kinoko’s help.

A gale rips across the storm, blowing in just the right direction to seem natural.

But Usopp can smell the difference. He looks up toward the roofs, and in the darkness, he can’t see a thing, not even colours. But he can sense it.

And for a second, he thinks their eyes meet. 

“WE’RE HERE!” Luffy yells. “Woah! Look at all this rain!”

“Nami-san, we’re back!” Sanji hollers.

“Man, we got lucky with the sudden gust of wind,” Zoro grumbles, “c’mon!”

Nami’s voice cuts in beside him, hollering. “Hurry up and come on board!” she yells, “we’re setting sail immediately!”

Usopp hears them rocket into the ship, and he’s lost in the noise. The rain has made him blinder than usual, and he’s lost in the noise and the laughter that he can’t quite participate in. 

“Fuck you Luffy, do that again and I’ll throw you overboard!” 

“If I ever get a concussion you are gonna bloody get it!”

Usopp smiles, because he knows he’ll be fine. 

Kinoko caws on his head, and he hums in their conversational way that doesn’t really mean anything.

Gin sighs, but his tone thrums with fondness, not exasperation.

“I can’t believe we’re leaving Loguetown so hastily,” he says. “This crew’s a hundred times more reckless than Don’s ever dared to be.”

Usopp grins widely, “and?”

He thinks Gin smiles when he responds. “And it’s the greatest decision I’ve ever made.”

-

* * *

-

“Are you done with your business, Captain Buggy?”

Mohji meets him at their borrowed fishing boat. The Big Top was anchored a ways away from the island, and Buggy had only brought Mohji with him to this short visit.

“Yeah,” Buggy says, getting on the ship and sighing exhaustedly, “I don’t want to stay on this island a second longer, Mohji.” 

“You say that, but I’m not sure if this boat’s gonna survive a storm like this one.”

Buggy blinks blearily in the direction of the town, where a shadowy figure stands on the roof of the furthest building, just barely in sight.

“We’ll be fine. Let’s go.” 

Mohji looks son worriedly, but Buggy closes his eyes and rests.

Clearing his throat, he coughs into his fists, massaging his throat through the rising discomfort. 

“I’ve had enough for a lifetime,” Buggy says, tone softening, “let’s go back to the ship.”

When Mohji responds again, his eyes are downcast.

‘Yes, Captain.”

-

* * *

-

“See that light over there, Luffy? That’s the entrance to the Grand Line.”

Nami remembers this moment very well. She knows it by heart, and she isn’t willing to compromise even a second of it.

She smiles, and holds her hair behind her ear.

Usopp holds her hand behind their backs, and they close their eyes to feel the wind on their cheeks.

“We’re finally heading in? Well, this calls for a ceremony, doesn’t it?” Sanji says, “Let’s break a barrel for the launch.”

“Oh, sounds great!” Luffy says.

“Sure!”

“Let’s do it!”

“No matter how laid-back we are, I’ve got limits,” Gin says, but he goes unheard. “Are we seriously doing this in the middle of a storm?”

Usopp sets a hand on his shoulder, and grins. Nami steps forward and she sets her hand on Gin’s shoulder, too. 

Gin sighs, defeated.

Kinoko lifts from Usopp’s head, and lands in the center of the barrel.

Eyes turn to her, and Nami can’t help but feel so endeared when Luffy beams into a grin. “Oh, Ennosuke, you’ve got something to say too?” 

Kinoko makes a very dignified-sounding line of caws, ending with a satisfied huff to her own speech. No one understood her, but no one said a word about that.

They just smiled, and acknowledged it with respect. 

“I’ll find All Blue,” Sanji declares, hiking the heel of his foot to the top of the barrel, just an inch from the bird.

“I'll become the Pirate King!” Luffy goes next, announcing something no one doubted for a second. 

“I’ll be the Greatest Swordsman in the World,” Zoro follows, a wide grin on his face. 

Nami goes next, setting her heel on the barrel. “I’ll draw **_our_ **map of the world,” she says, because her dream has changed, not the core of it, but the significance of it.

Usopp braces a hand on Nami’s and Gin’s shoulders, just to gauge the distance. Then he declares-- without a second of hesitation, without a stutter-- “I’ll become **_the_ **brave warrior of the seas.” 

One left.

And everyone turns to Gin.

Gin hesitates.

But Usopp squeezes him in the shoulder, and Gin makes a face like he’s a second from tearing up. He purses his lips, struggles to not smile-- his eyes narrow in an almost gratified way-- before he puts his foot up there too.

“I’ll find Emerald City,” he declares.

And as if those were the magic words, a grin brims right onto everyone’s faces. At once, they raise their feet into the sky. Kinoko spreads her wings.

“Let’s go to the Grand Line!” 

“YEAH!”


	23. but first, let's catch lunch.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alright, full speed ahead, into the Grand Line!
> 
> But first, let's catch lunch.

“Well, if the cups are the same size, it’s a brotherhood sakazuki,” Zoro explains, putting two sake dishes on the table. He then puts a bigger one beside it. “If one cup is bigger, it’s a fatherhood sakazuki.” 

Luffy hums, still confused. Zoro brushes the bigger dish away. 

“Then there’s the succession sake and the reconciliation sake-- hey are you listening, Luffy?” Zoro snaps, slamming a hand on the table, “I’m explaining this only cause you asked, you know!”

Luffy scrunches up his brows, arms crossed. “I don’t get it.”

“As expected from the Pirate Hunter, you’re proficient in Yakuza culture,” Usopp says nonchalantly, passing through with a large fishing net bundled up in his arms. 

“What do you mean  _ as expected _ ?! I grew up in a dojo!”’

“No Zoro, that isn’t helping your case,” Nami walks by after Usopp, hunks of spare lumber under her arms. Wait. Where is she taking it?

Luffy stares very skeptically at the cups, “so if we drink together, we’re brothers, right?” he asks, “then why’d Buggy say no?”

“Do you want to be?”

“Well, no.”

“Then it isn’t.”

“Oh, okay then. Why didn’t you say that earlier?”

Zoro contemplates the pros and cons of strangling your own captain seconds after declaring your goal to go into the journey with him. 

“Huh? Does that mean we’re allies?” Usopp looks up from his hammering. 

“Associates, probably,” Nami says, tying the lumber against the edge of the net with a hand and a set of teeth. “You know him.”

“I’ll be honest, Nami, does _ anyone _ ever know the guy?”

Nami purses her lips in response, “well, no…”

They spend a moment simply frowning. Then Nami groans, rolling her right shoulder around with clear discomfort before moving back to her knots.

“But man, can’t believe you were right on the money about him,” Usopp sighs. He feels around for the nails with one hand and finds the right edge with the other, before expertly picking up his hammer again. 

“I’m on the money about most things, Usopp,” Nami says, inspecting the knot before moving onto the next one, “being right just doesn’t matter on this ship.” 

“Ah, you have a point.”

“What have you guys even been doing?” Zoro announces his presence beside them, “we’re in the middle of a storm, don’t leave all this stuff lying around.”

“It’ll be fine for a little while more--”

“No it isn’t!” Gin slams the door open, prying his hood off of his head, “what are you idiots doing? We’re still in the storm!” 

“Just give me a second, I wanna get the fishing net done before we cross the mountain. We won’t have time to do it after.”

“Nami,” Gin buries his palm into his face, miserable at this point, “Nami, please.”

“Be a dear and keep an eye on the lighthouse, please?”

“Why do we need a net?”

“Fishing.”

“Fishing?!”

“Well, we need to get food somehow.”

“By fishing?!”

“We’re on the sea Zoro, get a clue.”

Gin leans tiredly at the doorway, knowing very well that this is his last chance to jump ship, even if it’s in the middle of a shitstorm.

Nami’s next tug at the string sends a sharp pain shooting up her shoulder, and she winces, a pained noise ripping from her throat. 

No one misses it. Five pairs of eyes turn alarmingly to her, but no one prompts the question yet.

She drops the net and reaches up to her shoulder.

“Nami-san,” of course, it’s Sanji that says it first. 

Nami interrupts him, “I’m fine,” she insists. Finishing her last knot and standing up from her work, she pulls up her hood. “We’re getting closer to the Red Line, so get ready. We need to move.”

Everyone keeps their eyes on her for a moment longer. 

Zoro stands up first, reaching for his raincoat and securing his swords to the chest in the galley. Sanji respectfully turns his eyes away, and Luffy runs out to the figurehead because it was finally time to brave the mystery storm.

Gin makes his way to the mizzen mast, knowing they would need all the expertise they could get now. 

Usopp’s eyes stay on Nami even after the rest are gone.

Nami gathers herself to her feet, a hand on her shoulder, massaging the connection between the metal and the flesh.

“This is a Grand Line storm,” she offers, a weak excuse. “I don’t do well in them.”

The ‘ _ not anymore’ _ hung unspoken in the air.

It’s not a terrible thing. It’s just part of the package when it comes to prosthetic arms, and some days are better than the others. It’s tolerable-- even if it isn’t, they just have to bear it. Because in the long run, it’s definitely worth the drawbacks.

Nami could handle it. She was used to it. 

“It’s just acting up today, that’s all.”

In lieu of a response, Usopp closes the box of nails by his side and secures the latch. Kinoko flies in, picking up the box to deposit it in the chest to the side, along with the hammer, and other stray nails around the area. 

In the same way that Nami understands Usopp without words, Usopp can read her like a book, even without his sight. And that, beyond everything, makes her unsettled.

She spent years in this time and the past timeline, hiding everything in her heart. It was essential to survive-- with her bounty, with her reputation, you needed at least three layers over yourself to even buy bread at the store. 

Now Usopp had come back into her life-- and maybe it had come too quickly. Her chest tightened anxiously to know there was someone here who knew  _ everything  _ she was so desperate to hide.

(And most of all, that was devastating.)

(The Strawhats are supposed to be open.)

(Once upon a time they could trust each other with everything-- their pasts, their insecurities, their dreams.)

(But Nami has forgotten.)

(Forgotten how it felt to trust someone completely.)

Nami feels a hand on her head. 

Usopp ruffles her hair twice, doesn’t say a thing, and makes his way outside.

She finds herself torn between tears and pure elation. The smile that curls her lips is filled with more mirth than joy, but it’s warm inside her chest. 

And that’s fine.

She rearranges her bangs and follows him out.

-

“Nami, why are we leaving the-- why is the storm stopping-- Nami?!”

They come to a very anticlimactic stop in the sea, where not a breeze nor a wave made itself known. The sun was pleasant over their heads, obscured just enough by the clouds to provide a semblance of complete serenity surrounding them.

Gin immediately assumes the worst and he knows he’s right. 

He thought Nami knew better about the Grand Line, especially common sailor sense on the Calm Belt. Apparently Nami was so familiar with the Grand Line, she’d barge into the Calm Belt thinking it’s an insanely good idea instead of a horrifically bad one. 

(“The Grand Line is a place that doesn’t make sense. The people too, of course,” maybe Zeff had said that, maybe Gin’s mind was paraphrasing it, but he’s starting to understand the gravity of the sentence at this point and he hates it with a passion.)

Zoro and Luffy look pleased to meet the end of the storm. Kinoko shakes herself dry, making her chunky, damp-bird way to Usopp’s head, landing on his head just at the crook of his new goggles. Sanji is slightly concerned for Gin’s sanity. 

Nami and Usopp smile bright and wide. 

Gin knows exactly what those smiles mean at this point. He pales immediately, eyes blown wide in horror, “Nami? Nami please--”

“Isn’t it fine, the weather’s so nice here,” Zoro says, admiring the blue skies that were blue as ever, as usual, just blue, nevermind he’s just tired. “Perfect nap weather.”

Kinoko caws in agreement. She, too, was entirely oblivious to the horrors of the Calm Belt. And if Gin can’t trust the bird to sense danger maybe he can’t trust  _ anyone _ .

“We’re all gonna die,” Gin whispers, despaired. He curls up at the edge of the deck and fake sobs, “I knew this was a bad idea. I knew I should have just thrown myself into the sea, This was a mistake.”

Luffy considers Gin for a moment, then stares accusingly at Nami. 

Nami holds her hands up in her defense, “I’m not a therapist,” she says, like that’s the problem here and not the absolute insanity she’s preaching.

“Oh no, Gin has surpassed me in negativity levels,” Usopp deadpans, “I was worried about facing Perona this time around but looks like we’ll be fine.”

“Wow, you’re cruel.”

“You don’t get to say that to me, Nami.”

“Is anyone going to explain Gin’s reaction or am I supposed to pretend this isn’t a total flag for disaster?” Sanji asks, chewing nervously on his cigarette. 

“Hey Naaami, I said go through the gate! Don’t bring us into the Easy Belch!” Luffy whines from his spot on the figurehead. 

“It’s the  _ Calm Belt _ , Luffy.”

“Easy Belch, same thing.”

Sanji stares incredulously at him for a moment before he lit a new cigarette. “Well, guess it could’ve been worse.”

“Worse than this?” Zoro asks, indicating the current state of the crew. 

Luffy is whining like a child at Nami and Usopp, who are obliviously reminiscing away on something no one wants to listen to. Gin is muttering like a madman in the corner, curled into himself on the verge of a-- oops, better calm that down before it’s too late; 

“I think we’re all gonna die.”

“For the first time, Mosshead, I agree with you.” 

Kinoko caws three times at them, whatever that means. 

Sanji was prepared to stew in the chaos for a moment longer, but the previously bad feeling makes itself known as a low, guttural rumble from the bottom of the ship.

No, not the bottom of the ship. The sea itself.

The  _ sea  _ rises with a loud roar, and to everyone the ship is lifted into the air by a large--  _ humongous _ \-- sea king. More accurately, a whole pod of sea kings had surfaced and the Going Merry was just a tiny speck at the edge of its snout. 

‘Utter internal screaming’ did not begin to describe the situation. 

For one, Gin’s crying now. Kinoko opens her mouth for half a second before she, knowing better, closes it in a wildly unbirdlike manner, swallowing her caw within herself. 

Zoro is gesticulating wildly for the oars and Sanji, eyes blown wide and cigarette who knows where, is scrambling for it. They’re trying to be as quiet as they can because they had the off chance the Sea Kings hadn’t noticed them yet. 

Luffy is actually listening to them for once, dashing for the oars and the--

“Alright guys!” Nami yells at the top of her lungs, and everyone’s heart instantly stops where they stand. She raises her flesh arm, “grab the net! We’re catching one!”

Sanji immediately trips over a raised plank and faceplants over the oars in his arms. It’s the most disgraceful thing he has ever done in his life.

Zoro, distracted for a second, smashes his face right into a panic-flying Kinoko. In a similar predicament, Luffy runs right into the main mast.

“I don’t think I heard that one right.”

“Wait, what?”

Nami grins, “grab the net, boys!” she yells again, loud as a boisterous sailor ready to tackle their biggest catch of the day, “we’re fishing!”

The shocked silence that succeeded the statement was punctuation by Gin’s despaired wail of “ _ we’re gonna die _ …”

Usopp makes his cheerful way toward the stairs. He opens the galley door just as the biggest sea king’s eyes turn annoyedly to them.

The screaming resumes, externally this time.

“Oh, that one’s huge! Luffy, grab that one!”

“Aye sir!”

“PLEASE STOP”

-

“Alright! Sanji, cook that for us once we’re out?”

The middle of a storm is probably not the place to lay around exhausted, but Sanji feels like going to bed right about now and not waking up until morning. Is it evening? Oh damn, he doesn’t know.

The sails are drawn. Merry is now being hauled on the back of a huge sea… mudfish, thing, with horns. 

There’s a big bump on its head from where Nami nailed it in the head with her huge broad-axe, and there are ropeburns around her ears where Usopp hooked the world’s most durable net over her neck.

(And Nami. The way she leaps off the ship and soars into the air, riding the air currents and using gravity to swirl around a huge broadaxe flat-end down on the sea king. The sight of her lithe figure prancing in the wind is not something that's going to leave his mind for a very long time.)

(Zoro finds himself with one of the two ends as they reel the unconscious fish in. He’s not sure what’s more jarring, the undeniable sturdiness of the rope-- huh? What’s this black stuff-- or the fact that Usopp is strong enough to match his strength as they pull.)

There’s another, slightly smaller sea monster-- uh, is it a cow or a pig he’s not sure-- tied to the back of the Merry, ready to be cooked once they’re out. Apparently Usopp caught it while everyone was distracted by the huger sea king. 

(Zoro’s not going to ask.)

“This is so cool! We’re riding on the back of a sea king!” Luffy cheers, excited, “and it’s ten times bigger than the Lord of the Coast! Oooh!”

Nami stretches, brushing back her drenched bangs from her face. Her clothes are soaked now, all through her limbs to the underwear. Sanji is shamelessly staring as he hands her her raincoat. 

Usopp is patiently retying the knots of the fishing net, wrapping it up to be kept. He’s doing it patiently on the deck, like the storm isn’t a big deal-- and it isn’t, really, when you have a sea king keeping your ship together. 

Zoro and Gin are hanging over the bow, looking down at the majestic beast under them and trying not to throw up because that’s probably not a good idea. 

“I can’t believe the storm is the least impressive part of this situation,” Gin mutters.

“Last chance to jump overboard,” Zoro says back, looking equally exhausted as he buries his face into the banister, “tell me if you’re going, because I’ll join you.”

“Oh, joy,” Gin groans into his arm, “double suicide partner.”

Kinoko, struggling to fly straight in the wind and having done nothing but roll in the air in a panic this whole time, lands clumsily on Zoro’s head.

(More like crashed into his neck, claws grabbing at any handhold and wings flayed out to hug him in a desperate attempt to stop, but yeah.) 

Gin looks at her, “what, you didn’t get eaten?”

Kinoko squawks, offended. She stands up dignifiedly on Zoro’s nape, composing herself and tidying her feathers before huffing as if to prove her point. 

Zoro, not in the mood to be a bird perch, swoops back and grabs her by the neck. 

“Yosh! We’re back in the storm!” Luffy cheers, passing by the three as he carts the neatly-bound net back into the galley before prancing back out, rocketing himself to the figurehead. “Nami! Where do we go now?” 

Usopp stands up and stretches, and Nami lifts a telescope to her eye. 

“Straight ahead, Whiskers,” Nami hollers, choosing her spot by the figurehead to command the sea beast under them. 

She may not have Conqueror’s of any sort, but a good knock on the head is enough to tame any wild beast. It’s completely terrified of Nami now. 

“To the Grand Line, for real this time!”

The crew has a second to brace itself before the beast speeds up, jetting through the ocean like a boat with an engine, streaming across the waters quickly enough to leave bubbled waves in their wake.

Luffy smiles widely at her, enjoying every aspect of this impromptu craziness. When he first heard of an adventure-- this was exactly it. Surprises at every second, recklessly at every turning, incredulous but just  _ the best _ .

He grins at Nami and Nami never fails to grin back, and that’s about the most assuring thing he’s ever experienced. 

“Woah! What’s that?!” Luffy exclaims, “there’s a huge shadow!”

Usopp stands by the mast, hands on the wood and feeling the wash of the rain whip across his face. Sanji stands beside him, holding onto the cargo net in an attempt to maintain his stability.

“The Red Line,” Gin answers, though he’s not sure if Luffy can hear him. Zoro and Sanji turn to him though, so he continues. “We’re here. At the starting point.”

And they blink, confused.

“We’re heading through the huge separator of the seas?” Sanji asks. “How does that work?”

Gin looks toward it, seeing the faint but clear lines of the entrance in the distance. And just a little, the tension is back in his shoulders, the tightness is in her chest, and maybe it’s the rain, maybe the air pressure, but he can’t breathe well.

His next breath out is choked, and he sets a hand on the bow.

“Nami, are you sure we don’t need to do anything?” he says loudly, unable to contain the words. 

Nami doesn’t turn around, “don’t worry, Whiskers will be fine. These Sea Kings have gone through the gate plenty of times! It’s like a rollercoaster for them!”

Strangely enough, that’s not assuring at all.

“A rollercoaster?” Zoro asks, skeptical. “Wait, what are we doing? How does the entrance work?”

“I just kinda figured there was an opening or something,” Sanji says, also curious. He’s never gone through the entrance-- only through legitimate procedures and maybe safe routes of the Calm Belt. Never formally through Reverse Mountain.

Nami grins, “come here, boys! You can see it from here, loko closely--” and she points it out to them, Luffy exclaiming excitedly as he spots it. Then she begins to explain the upward stream, and their gazes grow suspicious. 

Gin’s gone through this before, and it was filled with shouting, screaming, a hard crash, a handful of people thrown overboard-- and once they were up, they came to the sudden, dreadful realization that it’s a one-way street, and only hell awaits. 

Thinking about it again made his head spin and his feet abnormally light. He feels the sudden urge to run, to jump, preferably out of this ship and into the sea and away from here-- but his hands hold firmly to the bow, the only thing grounding him in place.

(His head was telling him to run. His heart clenched and begged to go away, run away, never again to that nightmare  _ why do you bother? _ But his hands held firm and told him he wanted to stay here.) 

A hand lays on his shoulder and he slaps it away.

It’s Usopp. 

Gin breathes out, breath ragged, head throbbing, and eyes spinning back into focus. “O-Oh,” he stutters, lamely, “Usopp. My bad. You startled me there.”

(He falters, wondering why said that. Weakness like that was precedent for mockery on Krieg’s ship-- he should’ve just stayed silent and glared.) 

Usopp smiles at him. Gin wants to punch that face.

“It’s fine to be scared of it,” Usopp tells him. Gin snaps, ready to deny it, but Usopp’s fingers are trembling against the mast and Gin doesn’t manage to get the words out. Instead, the sharpshooter keeps speaking. “It means you’re still human.”

That may have sounded like a pointless cheesy line to any normal man.

But not to Gin.

“Are you stupid?” Gin says, stepping forward as he stifles a choked laughter. “Who do you think you’re talking to? I’m the Man-demon, and I'll sure as hell show you I live up to my moniker, Usopp.”

He joins the rest of the crew at the front of the ship.

Usopp’s smile hasn’t left his face yet. He feels a translucent hand prod at his fingertips, but he makes no move to return the gesture. 

“Do you have fears too, Merry?”

The wispy little hand makes no verbal response, but it curls around Usopp’s hand for a moment longer before vanishing completely with the raindrops. 

Usopp chuckles. “Yeah, figured.”

He makes his way to everyone else at the bow, feeling Kinoko perch on his head and hearing her caws to lead him around.

-

* * *

-

They cross Reverse Mountain in a chain of excited screaming, terrified shouts, and awed expressions. They strip off their raincoats and watch the light of the Grand Line break into view.

A deep, wailing cry breaks through the rippling wind. The fog splits as the Merry cuts through the narrow path of Reverse Mountain.

Whiskers howls back, head thrown back like a mournful response.

Usopp sets a hand on Kinoko’s back on his head, breathing out slowly as the emotions in the voice blow through his ears, flooding his wave with a wave of something he hadn’t quite braced himself to feel just yet.

Deep, searing  _ sorrow _ .

From Whiskers, there’s unrelenting  _ empathy _ .

“Hey, isn’t there something calling back?”

“Huh? It’s probably an echo, right?”

His knees are weak, his eyes squeeze shut, and he clenches the shirt around his chest, trying to breathe against the air pressure. He should’ve been prepared for this-- he was careless.

(With Haki as oversensitive as his own, this was bound to happen.)

(It’s fine, just breathe and bear with it and he’ll get used to it in a while.)

He grounds himself again Luffy’s booming, ecstatic voice. Clings closely to Sanji’s awed, naive, so innocently curious voice. He avoids Gin’s voice, filled with uncertainty, and stays away from Zoro’s-- because Zoro is mutedly excited, but the swords around his waist gnash their teeth in hell, soaked in blood that stains longer than stains.

“ _ Yo ho ho ho, Yo ho ho ho _ ~”

Heads turn when Nami starts to sing. She holds her hair away from her face as it dances erratically in the wind. She closes her eyes, singing with the roar of the wind and the howl of the sea creatures as her tempo. 

Usopp whirls back into reality, the music thrumming through his veins in a painfully, painfully familiar way. He holds back the tears. 

“ _ Gather up all of the crew, it’s time to ship out Bink’s brew _ …”

Luffy’s face blooms into the widest smile in the world. 

_ “Sea-wind blows; To where? Who knows? The waves will be our guide,” _ Usopp joins in his voice shakier and a little more off-tune than Nami, but they match up well. 

“Binks’ Sake, huh,” Gin says. At Sanji’s confused look, he explains, “it’s an old sea shanty. All pirates know it-- it’s a classic.”

Almost as if to prove his point, Luffy sways to the song, and joins in on the next line with his awful but undeniable energetic singing voice. 

Then Kinoko joins in like a periodical whistle of percussion, evidently having heard this song from Usopp at least once before. 

Nami and Usopp’s smiles grow wider, almost as if it didn’t matter how terrible it sounded.

Shanties were like that-- you didn’t need a beautiful voice or a strong melody-- you just needed to have fun. Luffy got that spirit down pat. 

“ _ O'er across the ocean's tide; rays of sunshine far and wide. Birds they sing, of cheerful things, in circles passing by _ .”

Usopp leans into Nami’s side, his other hand on the bow as he stands, enjoying the wind against his cheek.

Laboon’s cries morph into something more even, and almost seem to meld in with the song. The boundless sorrow was stifled by the slightest grace of hope, and Usopp could breathe again.

“Wait. There  _ is _ something singing back!” Sanji yells, leaning over the bow to get a closer look. 

“There’s like a mountain or something ahead!” Zoro hollers from the crow’s nest.

“Huh? A mountain?” Gin finds that suggestion incredulous, “no no, that’s not possible. It’s all open sea after this point-- oh.”

There’s a moment of silence. Then “What did that ‘oh’ mean?!” Sanji snatches him up by the collar, “Gin?!”

Gin stares into the distance, too exhausted to care at this point.

Meanwhile, the three stooges and bird have made it to the second verse of Binks’ Sake. They’re headed straight downwards, the most exciting part of the song-- and even Whiskers was happy to be rolling down the tides of this stream.

“We’re on a fish, so it should be okay if we crash, right?”

“NO?! Do you know physics, mosshead? We’ll go flying!”

“...but I'm strong.”

“That’s not what physics means!” Sanji is ready to rip his hair out. He throws half of himself over the bow, at the mudfish sea king that was quite literally dancing to the tune, “HEY! You shitty fish! Stop singing and get us out of the way, we’re gonna crash!”

Of course, no one listens to Sanji because in the next moment, Whiskers skids down edge of the valley like a trembling toboggan, and everyone holds on for dear life (though Luffy is laughing because  _ of course he’s enjoying this _ ) as it whirls right around, drifting like a car on a narrow highway curve.

They’ve barely maneuvered to safety by spinning right around a huge, fucking, whale.

A huge fucking whale that’s bigger than the mudfish sea king they’re riding on.

Sanji lost his cigarette somewhere in between and he has a feeling he’s gonna need a lot more for the journey herein. 

He’s, if he can say so himself, scared shitless right now. 

Whiskers is looking up at them, eagerly waiting for the ropes to be released because she’s done her deed and wants to go home, but Sanji could care less about the murderous fish under them.

Whiskers was a thousand times Merry’s size. This whale? This whale was… Sanji can’t math right now. But Merry’s like an  _ ant _ in comparison and Sanji has never felt so much like a  _ mite _ in his life.

At least it doesn’t seem to be hostile? But looking at those scars, it might just be a matter of time.

“Are we dead?” Gin mutters, almost sounding hopeful. “We’re dead, right?” he asks, as if he didn’t understand why hell had a sea. Or maybe hell  _ is _ the sea and he’s never getting out. 

“Holy crap that is  _ huge _ ,” Zoro looks up, hand above his eyes as he looks up to the hulking figure beyond them. “Is that a whale?”

The whale bellows.

Compared to the previous rounds of boisterous singing, there’s uncomfortable silence. The whale considers the mountain, wondering why the noise has stopped, and not quite noticing the new creature beside him just yet. 

Then Luffy laughs.

“WHALE!” Luffy cheers, as loudly as he can because apparently he needs the whale to hear that it’s a whale too. Then he says, very necessarily, “HEY NAMI, THAT’S A HUGE WHALE! LOOK, IT’S HUGE!”

Sanji bonks him on the head with his foot, “Shut up! Do you want it to attack us?!” 

Usopp’s hair is wind-swept to one side, and Kinoko is in his arms, frozen like a wet chicken that has no idea where the hell she is anymore. 

Nami is beaming at the sea. “We’re here, the Grand Line!” she declares, her flesh arm lifted high into the sky. “Luffy, this place is called the Twin Capes. See the lighthouse over there?” 

Luffy looks. “OOOH!!”

Usopp finally lets go of Kinoko, who perches on the bow and starts grooming herself up from the drenched mess that was the rain and everything else salty. 

“Okay Whiskers, we get it, you want out,” Usopp heads toward the horns, climbing up the bow to get to the knot, “gimme a second, okay?”

And the mudfish sea king bellows impatiently. 

Sanji can’t help but smile at that. 

Well, huge whale aside, Sanji turns toward the open sea behind them-- and the wind really doesn’t fail to impress.

The sea doesn’t look much different from any other sea in the world-- startlingly enough, there are only calm waves in the horizon, not an island in sight. But the blue against blue is serene, harmonizing against the wind of something more.

It’s hard to really let it sink in that this sea is different. There’s a large wall behind them and nothing before them yet-- but Sanji can feel the pressure of the air on his bones, promising something unmistakable fearsome ahead.

And it excites him.

All Blue is somewhere out there, hiding in this same deceptive manner. 

“Sanji?” Gin asks. 

Sanji turns to Gin to see him watching the sea too-- Gin had been clutching the railings thus far, holding on for not dear life, but for some semblance of reality. 

Sanji takes another moment to realize his hand is in his hair. He lets go, resting his hand on the bow and turning to Gin with a grin. 

“Well, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Gin scoffs. “The hardest part isn’t even here yet.”

“Sure, whatever you say, shithead,” Sanji says, turning around. He points at Gin and Zoro in succession, “now, mister shitty muscleman and shitty other muscleman. Help me get that meat on board.”

Zoro beams at that. He doesn’t even care about the insult, he’s more interested in the large sea cow they’ve gotten for lunch. 

He leaps off the ship and onto the sea mudfish, making his way over already. 

Gin rolls his eyes in a way that Sanji swears is audible. 

“The thing is bigger than Merry, you idiot, get it on the shore.” 

-

“Hey, Laboon! Remember me?” Nami hollers to the loud whale, “it’s me!”

Laboon has his eyeline on the cape, happily whistling at the sight of Nami.

They set the sea mudfish free. Luffy waves at it happily as it returns to the Calm Belt, and Gin is only glad they're not on top of it anymore.

“What kind of crazy people ride a sea king past Reverse Mountain?” Gin says, finally able to voice that out to Nami because they’re now on even seas. 

“There wasn’t much of a choice, I didn’t want Merry to get hurt, and Luffy wanted to go up the mountain,” Nami argues, like those were the most reasonable things in the world. 

“How about we ride up normally?” Gin says, defeatedly.

“You think Merry can handle that kind of updraft?”

“You mean she can’t?”

“Of course she can,” Nami clarifies, “but that’s with a capable boatswain and rigger and, most importantly, a helmsman. In this ship, that’s you and me. Do I need to explain why that’s not enough?” 

Gin groans. She has a point. 

“Sorry about that,” Usopp says, holding the rope in his hands as he binds it back together, “if I could see, I’d help. And Nami really shouldn’t do any rough work with that arm in the rain.”

Nami rolls her eyes, “I said it’s  _ fine _ ,” she groans, “you saw me swinging the axe.”

“That had gravity to help,” Usopp says. 

Gin has a headache at this point. Usopp and Nami dissolve into an argument of who is or isn’t useless, which is fucking stupid if you ask Gin, so he jumps out of the ship and onto the shore, noticing the nice large space that could be used for quite a feast. 

Zoro and Luffy are nowhere to be seen, and Sanji is butchering the sea cow. The large whale is watching them warily, and Gin is trying his hardest to ignore it.

He’s been here once and the whale didn’t kill him then, it probably won’t kill him now. But where’s the lighthouse keeper?

“Wait,” Gin realizes something, “if you guys could tame the sea king, why didn’t we just go straight through the Calm Belt?”

Nami and Usopp are too focused on their own conversation to hear him. Kinoko lands on his head and caws twice, whatever that means.

Right.

Because Luffy wanted to go up the mountain.

You’ve got to be  _ kidding _ .

“Is my captain a kid?” Gin grumbles into the air in disbelief. He’s witnessing something he could never have dreamed of, ever. Because right now, their captain is the youngest of the group, and Nami and Usopp certainly love to think so. “They’re  _ spoiling  _ him.”

Kinoko caws once. 

Gin thinks he’s starting to understand bird language.

-

Zoro has no idea where he is, but he hears Luffy in the distance so that's reassuring.

“Hey, Luffy. Wait up. If we get lost and end up back on the other side of the red line or something, it’s not gonna be my fault.”

Luffy laughs in the distance.

“Hey Luffy, where are you!”

“Here, Zoro! Oh, found you,” Luffy appears in the next turn. His arm shoots forward and grabs Zoro by the shoulder. “I found something cool! Let’s go!”

“Wha-- Wait!” Zoro’s dragged forward, but Luffy keeps running. The next contract of his arm sends Zoro smashing into the wall, and Luffy stops running, turning back to laugh at him.

“You’re so clumsy, Zoro. It’s this way, c’mon!”

“I swear, Luffy, I will  _ murder _ you one day for this.”

Zoro groans, getting up slowly. Man, if this was rock instead of a flat wall, that really would’ve hurt. He gets up, tidying his swords at his sash.

_ Man, why is it so dark in here? Did the sun set? _

He sets a hand on the wall.

“Huh? Why’s there a metal wall on a rock mountain?”


	24. if you don't chain Luffy down, he's probably causing trouble.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew docks at the Twin Capes for a short break. 
> 
> This entails having the blind man check the ship for repairs, getting lost inside a whale because Zoro is the one leading the way, capturing a suspicious pair of bazooka-wielding bounty hunters, forcing said bounty hunters to eat lunch before leaving, and finding a Buggy ball inside your ship's money pouch... wait, wait?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya everyone! ❤❤ It's been a while hasn't it? Heheh, sorry about that. I'm alive and well and this chapter didn't exactly want to be written. But anyways I got through it so it's okay now.
> 
> Anyways, I just wanted to say that I love each and every one of you so much T^T nothing makes me happier than getting a whole load of reviews and I feel so, so blessed. I even got [fanart!!!](https://www.deviantart.com/porterhawk/art/Of-Pop-Greens-and-Tangerines-Fanart-861517667) from the amazing PorterHawk and I have been staring at this for the past few months crying because I love it so much please I pray for your eternal happiness you deserve it.

Nami met Laboon while she was travelling with the Whitebeards. She had always crossed the Calm Belt into the Grand Line, so they’d brought her here with sightseeing intentions. 

She was very happy to see him, but there were things she couldn’t say.

‘Brook is alive’ is one of those many things. 

That’s information she can’t bring up without explaining in half-truths, because telling someone the truth would flip the world on its tide and create a completely different world from before. 

So she can’t tell anyone the full story just yet. At least, not while Blackbeard is still in the Whitebeards.

(Even if he weren’t, there was no telling how they might begin to doubt her allegiance when they find out legitimate time travel is possible outside of the Toki-Toki no Mi. And that was the thing-- they may suspect Nami to be the new holder of that fruit, or that Nami knew who the new holder of that fruit was.)

(And that complicates things, a little too much for comfort. She wanted to change the future-- but not to an uncontrollable degree. Misunderstandings can be used to her advantage-- but trust is to be gained honestly, and she can’t lie to the Whitebeards after swearing her allegiance to them.)

(Most of all is Blackbeard-- there’s no telling what he could ever do if he realized Nami might know of his future plans.)

She sang to him, and the Whitebeards joined in. They drank and partied, but Laboon continued to cry the next day. 

It was joyous, but it just wasn’t the same. 

Nami sings to him anyways, every time she sees the whale, because the familiar music staves off the pain, just a little. 

She knows-- she’s like that too, sometimes. 

(The Whitebeards had adopted that habit too, to sing Binks Sake as each time near the Red Line-- but Nami wouldn’t know that. She left so quickly, after all.)

“I’m glad you’re doing better, Laboon-chan,” she says, running a hand across the tender scars on his head. There aren’t as many new wounds as she’d thought-- which was, bitterly enough, a good thing.

Getting over the loss of a crew is no easy feat, and despite Nami’s efforts, it's not quite enough to pull Laboon over to healthy habits again. 

But it's progress, and Crocus was beyond grateful.

“This is my crew. I hope you like them,” Nami says. 

"Hehh…" Usopp waves a hand carefully over until it reaches the whale's snout. "Hey, Laboon. I'm Usopp," he introduces himself. “Nice to meet you.”

(He half contemplates telling the whale something about their past life experiences, or even giving a promise that they’ll help it reunite with Brook as soon as they can-- but he decides against it.)

(If Nami hadn’t said anything, he shouldn’t either.)

The whale hums slowly in a sort of greeting. 

“How long are we staying?” Usopp says, taking his hand and turning away from the whale. There’s plenty of work to be done-- it isn’t time to exchange pleasantries. 

(He loved Laboon and all-- but he didn’t need to go for it this time around. He was content with the brief ‘pirate that once passed by’ sort of relationship they shared.)

“Right after lunch, but it’s Luffy’s decision to make,” Nami says. “Can you do a once-over of the Merry? Just check for any damage.”

Usopp stares at Nami silently.

Nami takes an embarrassing moment to realize the problem. 

She sputters, “alright, alright! I’ll do it myself!” A flush to her cheeks, she swirled around and marched toward the Merry.

Usopp can’t handle it, he laughs. “I’m joking, I’m joking! I can use my Haki to tell!” he goes after her, careful to keep in step with his bare feet on the rocks. “Don’t be mad, I’m just kidding, I’m sorry!”

“Go to hell, Usopp!”

“Okay,” Usopp chuckles. “But I’m blind, so you’ll have to lead me there.”

Nami blushes. “Shut up!” 

* * *

Zoro opens the door, holding Luffy by the scruff.

“Ah, look, Luffy, we’re out,” he says, looking amazed at the deep blue ocean that brings a strangely sour breeze, the oddly, claustrophobia-inducing sky, and the unnervingly still clouds-- “wait, where’s the Merry?”

Luffy laughs, looking out at the amazing view. “Look at that, Zoro! An island and a house! Huh? There’s a huge flower on it. Zoro, let’s go check it out--”

“With what ship, moron?” Zoro holds him firmly and away from the surface of the sea. At this point, he reckons this idiot would seriously drown for two minutes before he even remembers he can’t swim. “Look, I think we got out on the wrong side. There’s probably another exit somewhere else--”

“Shishishi! Are we lost again, Zoro?”

“I am NOT lost! The ship just disappeared without warning us!”

“You’re dumb, Zoro.”

“That coming from you?!”

They simultaneously freeze when the huge flower on the strange island just turns around where it stands, revealing an old gangly face and a glare as their eyes zero in on each other.

Fierce glare against a pair of shocked gazes, the air goes still.

Maybe it was the huge spear gun that man held-- hell, it’s definitely that-- that made him uncomfortably menacing. Zoro didn’t know if he could handle an attack from that with just Kogatana. 

(Dammit, he might need to use his actual swords again.)

(He’s been trying to swear off using them until he got stronger, but his will was so flimsy he’d broken that rule a couple times already. That totally sucked.)

Luffy keeps a firm, wide-eyed look on the strange old man-- even _he_ can sense the tension in the air, it seems-- and they stand, waiting for any sign of hostility. 

Zoro, trusting Luffy’s authority in this situation, simply waited for his captain to give the order. To attack first, or to head back the way they came?

And so the silence continued for ten full seconds. 

Then Luffy screams, “Dammit, I lost!” squeezing his eyes shut. The old man cackles in response. Luffy whines, opening his slightly teary eyes again. “No fair! One more time!”

“Don’t underestimate this old coot, ya brat!” The old man calls back.

Zoro whirls on them, looking back and forth. What on earth is this unexpected, wholesome energy they’ve got going on?

Then he realizes. “Were you two having a _fucking_ staring contest?!” 

They laugh boisterously at him. Zoro wants to bash them both over the head, and he’s willing to let himself use his katanas for it.

* * *

"Where's Luffy?"

Nami let's the question hang in the air for a second. 

And where's Zoro? Oh god, they really shouldn't lose Zoro on the Red Line-- what if he ends up on Mariejois?

(Seriously. That actually happened last time around-- there were whole articles of witness accounts depicting his stroll through the gardens. There was one particularly shaken noble that absolutely _swears_ they saw him order drinks from the bar, take a nap, and then walk straight down the wall. People are convinced it was just a fever dream.) 

At least she can tell that they were most recently together, but that doesn't mean much when both of them are pants with directions, doubly so together. 

"Well, how far could they possibly have gone?" Sanji shrugs dismissively, taking a drag of his cigarette as finally finishes butchering the sea cow they'd caught. "They'll be back when they're hungry."

Usopp sits at the deck, the net sprawled out over the wood and on his lap. He’s untangling the edges, and though Gin was helping him at some point, the latter got tired of helping and walked away when they were almost done.

Kinoko flies around freely, landing on the head of the whale, perching atop one of its many scars. She seems to enjoy being on an abnormally high altitude again-- Merry was high as well, but Laboon was just much, much higher. 

Sanji considers the whale’s wounds, then hums, dismissing it as one of the many gruesome mysteries of the Grand Line. (A man shouldn’t ask about another’s scars if he doesn’t want to be pried for his own, after all.) 

The whale and the bird exchange soft caws and booming whistles. Sanji listens to it, and the noises meld together like a rather pleasant cacophony.

Meanwhile, Gin inspects the meat. 

It’s a huge sea cow-- the whole thing definitely can’t fit on the Merry. At most, they’d be able to fit a third of it anywhere, and even then, they don’t have space to store large amounts of fresh meat for a long time. If they exclude the weight of the inedible parts…

Ah, this crew is pretty small, so he has to calculate passenger weight in different roundups to his usual measurements.

"We could probably ration half of it," Gin concludes to Sanji, who tilts his head in acknowledgement. "Make jerky or something for Luffy's snack time."

Because they definitely need extra provisions for that. 

With a ship of so many huge appetites, food and rations probably can’t last long. It’s convenient in the sense that they have less worry of food going bad, but they have to hunt and restock much more often. 

Oh well, won’t be much of a difference from Don’s ship, except for the lack of discipline. Gin can handle that much. 

“Alright,” Sanji says, rolling up his sleeves. He’s received similar instructions when he’d worked on Baratie, so he trusts Gin’s confidence enough to know it’s for the best of the crew. “I’ll get to work, then, we’ve got plenty of salt. Mealtime is in thirty minutes, don’t be late.”

Gin, however, groans at the suggestion. 

He thinks he’ll pass on the food. His nerves have been everywhere and especially his stomach for the past hour, and all he wants to do is fight something. 

He’s barely gone back into the habit of three full meals a day-- he still can’t eat large, filling meals just yet. Well, Sanji’s regulating it, so Gin knows he should be capable of eating-- but he still has days where he doesn’t feel up to a heavy meal. 

(He coughs, a sharp pang stinging his chest.)

He clears his throat, deciding to go check on the workings of the ship. 

Nami and Usopp already worked it out, but he probably has more years on them when it comes to ship parts.

"Guys, what if Luffy's under the sea or something?" Nami asks, seemingly the only worried one of the group. 

“Don’t worry, Nami, they’ll be fine.” Usopp nonchalantly gathers the net in his arms, neatly folded. Stepping carefully bare feet around the Merry, he makes his way to the storage chest to keep it away. 

Nami grimaces at that. 

(She has to admit, she’s way past the point of being paranoid of Luffy’s disappearances, and he’s right. Plus, Usopp’s Observation Haki is stronger than hers, so if he’s saying this, he must know where they…)

(...wait a minute.)

Nami stares at Laboon.

“You are _kidding_.”

* * *

“So it’s all stomach acid?”

“Yeah.”

Luffy doubts that, hard. _After all, it looked just like the sea!_

They rowboat over to the little metal ship island, where Flower-ossan and Zoro break out barrels and start a drinking contest, for some reason. Luffy doesn’t join them-- he’s more hungry than in the mood for a party right now. 

Plus, he wants to know what the mysterious liquid is.

So of course, like a genius, he sticks his hand into the water. 

He immediately deflates with a whimper, and Zoro whirls around to bark, “why are you touching the water, you idiot?!”

Luffy groans, “but you said this wasn’t sea water! It _is_!”

“It’s a mixture of the swallowed seawater and hydrochloric acid,” Crocus says, knowing full well Luffy may not understand it when referred to by its chemical name. “But that doesn’t matter much-- it’s still a large body of unmoving water. Devil Fruit users are affected either way.”

“Huh? What’s that mean?”

“You guys don’t know the difference yet?” Crocus says, refilling his mug. “If all sea water affected your Captain, you’d have to keep them indoors every time there was a storm. How did you guys get so far without noticing that?”

Zoro looks offended. 

But yeah, he had a point-- Luffy was still active as a rubber monkey during storms-- if he wasn’t running around for the sails, he even stayed right on the figurehead, at the forefront of the waves and the sea-soaked winds.. He didn’t lose energy and get swept away any easier than a normal man would.

Luffy, who for some reason still has a hand in the water, mutters that “Nami is the smart one,” because he’s right, and that “and Gin and Usopp.”

Crocus laughs at that. “So an idiot captain with a decent crew, huh? How nostalgic,” he says, a fondness in his smile that Zoro doesn’t miss. His mug is filled, and Zoro drinks. 

“Hey Luffy, get your hand out of there before it dissolves.”

“I have… no strength...”

Zoro groans, plucking him out and tossing him over to sprawl across the other edge.

“Thaaaanks, Zoro…”

And then they begin to talk about the situation. They learn about the whale, about the crew that’s left it behind, and about the way he’s crashed against the wall splitting the seas countless times, desperate to reach the other side. 

He also mentions how Nami came about a few months ago, and began to let Laboon know the joy of a song again. He’s getting better, his song of lament now laced with just a bit of newfound hope. 

By the end of it, Luffy takes a mug of beer himself, taking a careful sip.

The bitter sting of an unfulfilled dream is a pain he knows, after all. (Let’s go out to sea when we’re seventeen!) Luffy drinks and he sighs. (We’ll live our lives without regrets.)

‘I promise’ are words that mean a lot to Luffy.

“Well, if they broke that promise, then we can just make another!” Luffy says with a wide grin.

“Huh?” Zoro says, “what? With who-- Luffy, those people are gone, were you listening?”

“So what?” Luffy huffs. “We can’t help that they’re gone. Right, Flower-ossan? If you’re a crybaby for too long, everyone’s gonna hate you!”

And Crocus stares back, his eyes wide with pleasant surprise. 

* * *

“Well, would you look at that, Miss Wednesday,” the man says, peeking warily over the edge of the rock. “A group of pirates.”

“Yes, Mister Nine,” the lady replies, in the same flairful, over-pronounced tone, “a paltry group of just four… how incredulous. Are they after the whale as well? How troublesome… we might need to regroup and ask for backup.”

Sifting through a book of wanted posters, the man in the gaudy royal costume hisses. He shows the name to his partner, and the girl yelps in horror. 

“Twenty-five million and eighteen million?!” she exclaims, shutting herself up a moment too late. “Those are dangerous numbers for just the two of us.”

They glance over, but the blond-haired cook just a few meters away gives no reaction. He gleefully flips the sticks of meat on the grill, humming to himself. 

The sigh in relief.

“The woman with the metal arm and the man in silver are bad news,” Mister Nine concludes. “But neither of them are around the whale. We should take the long way around and sneak in-- they won’t even notice us passing by.”

“Sneak in where?”

“Inside the whale, obviously,” Miss Wednesday hisses, looking on the other side to see Laboon. “The lighthouse keeper must be there, as usual. We need to take him out.”

“We need the whale for the sake of our city, we can’t afford to delay this mission any longer,” Mister Nine elaborates, tucking the cannon to his back. “Alright, the coast is clear. We need to be stealthy, Miss Wednesday! Stealth is key!”

It’s honestly humorous that he emphasizes that with a golden fake crown on his head. 

“Understood. I’ll be right behind you,” Miss Wednesday nods.

“Don’t look around, no time for any delay,” Mister Nine emphasizes. “Straight ahead, focus on the path, don’t get distracted-- understood?” A nod. “Alright then...”

He takes a breath, mentally charting the route forward. 

But before he can take that very important step forward, a voice interrupts.

“Not looking around is a solid plan and all, but looking up might be a good idea,” Usopp offers his very timely advice, casually sitting on the rock the two agents were hiding by. 

He’s peeling an apple in his lap, carefully spinning the fruit around the blade. 

The noises they made at that moment could be likened to bunnies dying of shock. 

Usopp doesn’t bother lifting his eyes to them, he just squints at the apple in his hand, trying to make sense of the blotted ball of colour. He’s not even sure if he’s skinning it or shredding the knife through the flesh, he just roughly feels around for that measurement and it’s not going well at all. 

Ah well, Sanji gave him the job, Sanji can handle the consequences.

“So you guys want the whale?” Usopp asks, as if the two weren’t struggling with their hearts in their mouths or anything, “what do you need it for? Need its meat to feed an island of people or something?”

A yelp, “how did you know?!” 

A wail, “don’t say that, you’re confirming it!” 

Usopp accidentally nicks his finger in his exasperation, and he winces. He lifts the bleeding appendage to his mouth, holding the apple and the knife in his other hand. 

Meanwhile, the Baroque Work agents are doing a magnificent show of establishing the fact that they are terrible actors. From a loud clearing of throat to the obnoxious fake laughter, and then the very audible nervousness in their throats.

“Hah! What island? We don’t come from an island or anything! Definitely not here to kill the lighthouse keeper that’s protecting the whale!”

“No no definitely not! This whale is _uh._ Our islands’s _sweet honey darling_ , after all! It’s important to us and we are _uh!_ Saving it from that accursed lighthouse keeper!”

“Yeah yeah that. See the wounds on the head! Lighthouse keeper did that! Definitely not its mental illness and it consistently self-harming itself.”

Well, that’s a half-decent cover story, to some degree. Now if only they sounded even the slightest bit convincing… Usopp gives them approximately half a point for that miserable excuse of a story execution.

There was a misunderstanding like this last time, wasn’t there? Because Old man Crocus kept messing around or something? 

“Apple, Usopp.”

“Yes, here you go.”

He doesn’t even glance over as he sets down the clumsily-peeled apple into Sanji’s waiting hand. Miss Wednesday and Mister Nine squeak at the new presence.

“So, you’re trying to save the whale, huh…” he tones his voice a little lower than his usual note, raising the dagger in his hand and spinning it lazily between his fingers, “I don’t know… you two sound very suspicious to me.” 

They tense. 

“Miss Wednesday and Mister Nine, right?” Usopp says, prodding the knife tactfully, keeping his eyes on the two. “You saw the wanted posters, didn’t you? Then you know… if our _captain_ notices you two skulking about here, they may not be as merciful as me.”

They squeak. A fraction of light reflects off the surface of the blade, and Usopp lets his bleeding thumb trail a single droplet of blood onto the rock under him.

It’s a simple, ominous action-- but the agents were familiar with these subtle threats. Their faces lose all colour immediately, and they back off, horrified to reach the edge of the platform so soon. They’d chosen this spot to hide as it was near the sea to escape-- but now, they were sure that the sea was blocking off their escape instead. 

If this man can find them in hiding, he can certainly pursue them into the sea. And their cowardly instincts warned them, very well-- that this man was to be feared.

Usopp smiles menacingly. “So I’ll give you twenty seconds to tell me the truth.”

Needless to say, they caved instantly.

( _And that_ , Usopp hands the knife back to Sanji, _is how you lie_.)

* * *

After tormenting them, tying them up, and then laughing as Sanji finally comes over to investigate their intruders-- Usopp tries not to let the disappointment show.

It’s her voice-- that one yell (“I am a Strawhat Pirate!”) still ringing in his head to this very day, one of the last things that were burned into his eyelids. 

He breathes in, breathes out, and tries not to cry.

It’s fine that this Vivi isn’t theirs. 

Nami will be disappointed-- but she’ll get over it. They have six more to go, after all, and it’s highly unlikely any of them came back.

(“We are nakama and nothing can change that!”)

(Saying so, she smiled, and closed her eyes.)

* * *

Nami takes a trip down the whale’s head hatch to find an idiot, a drunkard, and an older drunkard laughing as they bump the bottle and chug down barrels of booze.

She sighs. 

One of the many ways to completely hide from Observation Haki is to hide in another, louder voice. This proved through in their Skypiea escapade, when Luffy was swallowed by that giant snake and no one knew where the hell he went. 

This time, the two and even Crocus had been inside of Laboon. She sighs. Usopp must’ve immediately realized and chosen not to tell her. She’ll smack him later.

“ZORO! LUFFY!” she yells, delighting in the way they all jump in surprise-- even Crocus, whose Haki should really have warned him of his presence-- “LUNCHTIME!”

Luffy jumps up in delight, “Nami!” he cheers, stretching out an arm to the door and instantly flicking forward, rocketing right toward Nami. “Yay! You found us!”

(Nami sidesteps. Luffy goes crashing right past the door and into the metal wall.)

Seriously, sometimes she feels like she’s the mom of this crew.

(She would say it’s actually Robin, but everyone knows their resident chaotic neutral enabler is further from the responsibility scale than most believe.) 

“How on earth did you manage to accidentally find your way inside a whale?” Nami exclaims, still exasperated. “Are you some kind of genius?”

Zoro blanches, “oh shut _up_ , woman,” he mutters.

Luffy dusts himself off. “Yeah! Food time, let’s go! Hey, Flower-ossan, you should join us outside? Sanji’s cooking is amazing, y’know?”

And then he tries to run, but Nami’s metal arm comes up immediately, snatching the captain by the vest while he’s still running. 

“Oh no you don’t! If you get lost again I am _not_ going to look for you!”

In the end, their trip outside is ridden with trying to keep Luffy still, yelling at Zoro every second he takes a step in the wrong direction (which was something that happened every five steps,) and trying to entertain Crocus’ annoying sense of humour.

If Nami decided to Gust sword them out in retaliation, she’ll pretend it was an accident. 

* * *

“Why are you drenched?”

Luffy mutters something inaudible, and Zoro hasn’t stopped glaring at Nami ever since they got hurricaned out of the whale mouth. Laboon’s also feeling terrible from effectively projectile-vomiting humans, so he now looks at Nami with fear in his eyes.

Nami, spotless and sounding the happiest in a long while, grins. “Nothing much!” she says, in the tone that might mean she’s just blackmailed a country into debt, “Sanji-kun, Gin-kun! Usopp-kun! Come meet Crocus, the lighthouse keeper!”

“Oh, Luffy! You’re back? Lunch is ready.”

“What’s the ruckus?”

They sit around a large plate of barbeque, meat, and stew, passing around the plates happily. Luffy devours a whole shank on his own, and everyone struggles to save enough for themselves. 

“Huh, so you were inside the whale?”

“Yeah!” Luffy answers for Crocus, “there was this sky inside! And the Flower-ossan was there, there was this house!”

“There was a sky inside?”

“A house?”

“Yeah, there’s a whole pool of stomach acid in there-- thought it was the sea.”

“Ah, now that I see it, Luffy’s pants cuffs are slightly dissolved.”

In the slight distance, Miss Wednesday and Mister Nine sit on their knees, bound by ropes with their hands before them. There's a small bowl of stew before them, and the way they were bound allowed them the liberty of clumsily grabbing a spoon. 

(Sanji was going to feed them whether everyone liked it or not. Gin had glared, but Sanji knew very well how to glare back.)

They didn’t touch it, though. It might’ve been poisoned as far as they knew and they weren’t taking chances.

“So, what about those two bozos?” Nami asks. They weren’t there when she went into the whale.

“Weird-looking people,” is Luffy’s only remark.

Usopp hums, “we can ignore them.”

"Do I need to torture info out of them?"

"Guys, Gin just said something horrifying without hesitation."

“Don’t worry, Usopp did that already.”

“That sounds so many times worse, what the hell?”

And so began the spiel of ‘they’re trying to kill Laboon but Crocus was always in the way so they were trying to kill Crocus, except now they’re caught’ and now everyone’s wondering what they were going to do with them. Boil them? 

Well, it’s not like the two agents didn’t have a plan. Miss Wednesday always had her Peacock Slasher tucked in her sleeves. 

Wearing loose, grand coats was part of their theme, but it really came with its perks. The intimidating man with the long nose didn't bother checking them for weapons other than the huge bazooka. 

She slips the blade into her palms. Alright--

“SQUAWK!” came a bolstering shriek from beside them, and they could swear their hearts stopped for a horrifying amount of seconds. 

They swirl around to find a small island bird behind them. And for some reason, the bird was giving them a very stern look, its eyes darting to the blade in an almost accusatory way. 

Miss Wednesday has dealt with enough birds in her life to know this is the ‘ohh are you up to something bad? Yeah, I’m gonna tell your dad’ look. 

And before Miss Wednesday could properly react to the situation, her Peacock Slasher is taken out of her palms. 

“Wha-- return that!”

“Oh, that’s dangerous,” Sanji says, holding it away, “You shouldn’t hold a weapon by the blade, dear Miss Wednesday. You may cut your palms, and that would be terrible. Nice call there, stupid bird.” 

Mister Nine groans. So the bird is on their side too? Come to think of it, there were strange metal contraptions on it. Probably a ship pet. 

Miss Wednesday hisses. To her, such gentlemanly care from the enemy was nothing short of sheer mockery. The smile only made it worse.

“What should we do, Miss Wednesday?” Mister Nine whispers, inching just a little closer if only to put up a brave front, “even if we go back now…”

And he didn’t need to finish the sentence for her to know the consequences. If they came back without the whale again, it would be deemed a failure… and they would be promptly punished.

Miss Wednesday can’t let her _espionage_ end here. 

“C’mon, you two, if you don’t eat, Luffy’s going to take it,” Nami approaches them. “Are the ropes bothering you guys? Zoro, if you would please.”

Zoro hums, retrieving his dagger from his chest and in one swift motion-- cut them free. The agents’ surprise is accompanied by a distant whine of how that was a waste of perfectly good rope.

“Wha-- what are you planning?!” Mister Nine demands. “W- We’re not obeying your demands, nor are we eating your food! Just kill us already!”

Miss Wednesday follows up quickly, getting to her feet. 

“Y- Yeah! We’re not telling you anything else!” she says, knowing full well that pirates like these have much better uses for a woman than information. She didn’t have her weapons anymore, but if push comes to shove… she can’t let herself die here.

“It’s not poisoned!” Luffy appears, latching onto the navigator, “but Sanij’s food is awesome! You really should eat it or it’s such a waste.”

Yeah, hell no. Why were they so persistent in getting them to eat if there weren’t any ulterior motives? They work in the underworld, for god’s sake. They know the underhanded tactics.

Sanji sighs. 

Then he snaps, “just eat it, you shitbags!” with a slam of his foot. The two agents squeak, hugging each other in fear. “My pride as a cook won’t let you morons starve yourself for no good reason!”

* * *

“Luffy, if you’re done eating, go somewhere else! You’re not allowed to eat these bowls!” Sanji says sternly. “Hey, stupid bird, follow Luffy and make sure he doesn’t get eaten by the whale again.”

“Boo,” Luffy pouts. 

He glares at Kinoko as the bird lands on his shoulder, and he broodily walks away. 

Well whatever with those stingy people-- he’s got better things to do, like... “Oh, that’s right. Hey, Nami, Flower-ossan said you made a promise with the whale?” 

Nami lifts her head from the large pot she was about to clean. “Huh? Ah, yes, I did,” she says, “we sing to each other every time we meet. Laboon’s a good musical accompaniment, you know.”

“Heh,” Luffy says noncommittally, because he’s not sure what a musical accompaniment even is. Kinoko jumps to his head, the bird masterfully attached to the boy’s head even as the monkey tilts sideways in his thinking. 

Nami nods. “Well, it gives him something to look forward to when he hears someone come over the mountain,” she says. “Why are you asking, though?”

Luffy blinks at that.

Then he grins. “I’ll show you!” 

Then he scampers off. Nami watches him run toward their ship, survey the landscape as if he was trying to find a nice short path to dash upwards on-- and Nami heaves a sigh.

_(Usopp is gonna be mad. Oh well.)_

* * *

“There’s nothing suspicious in it,” Gin says, sounding irritated that their food stock was getting lower than he’d intended it to be. 

Kinoko lands on his shoulder, looking warily into the bowl. Gin grunts at her. She makes a clicking sound in response. 

“We’re just passing sailors sharing some food. Right?” he says, glancing up at the prompt of a question. His gaze was sharp, and spelled only one thing-- shut up and do as we say, or you’ll regret it. “Nothing suspicious at all.”

Seriously, none of them are helping the agents trust them at all. Well, not that they had any obligation to, but Sanji was trying to get them to eat so it was pretty important.

So Sanji and Gin continue to goad them-- angrily-- into eating. 

Mister Nine and Miss Wednesday try to leave midway through, but Sanji was absolutely not letting them go anywhere without eating. Mister Nine’s stomach began to growl, a testament to their long stake out and countless attempts at the whale mission-- which only made the situation worse. 

Usopp sighs. He taps around his bowl, making sure he’d eaten everything, before putting it down. 

“All that’s left is to get a Log Pose and we can go,” he says. “Well, I’m sure Nami’s got one somewhere if we know her well enough.”

“We’re leaving already?” Zoro says, picking up Usopp’s utensils to stack them together. He speaks in a yawn and stands up. 

“Yeah-- wait,” Usopp’s stomach fills with dread. “Where’s Luffy?”

Scaling up the whale, according to his Haki.

“Scaling up the whale, I think,” Zoro unconsciously parrots exactly what Usopp was thinking, looking out into the distance. “Hey, is that our main mast?”

There’s a huff, and a waft of smoke that was Sanji taking a drag of his cigarette. “Nah, I think it’s the mizzen, not the main,” the cook corrects, “still right off of our ship though.”

Usopp _screeches_.

* * *

Needless to say, Luffy got pummeled until his face was black, blue and completely unrecognizable. Nami had spared him because she didn’t stop him so she was part of the problem, but Usopp and Gin were merciless. 

“A’im Sowwy,” he says, although Usopp knew that he was absolutely not regretting it. As they’ve already seen from history repeating itself, Luffy would absolutely do it again. 

He had plunged the broken mast into the whale’s forehead, thrown a few more stones and got thrown into the lighthouse (it’s still intact thank god), and then loudly declared their impromptu duel a draw. 

_(The next time we come down that mountain, let’s have a rematch!)_

_(So don’t go bashing your head against the wall again, got it?)_

_(Oh, and we’ll sing when we come too! Can’t forget about the singing, cause we’re pirates, so we sing! So we’ll sing when we get here, right, Nami?)_

And he paints the large, colourful abomination of a jolly roger on the whale’s forehead. Laboon cries, and he laughs, and he wears the mark with pride. 

Kinoko had the gall to land on Nami’s shoulder and glance back at Sanji in a “Hey, he’s not getting _eaten_ by the whale,” manner. 

Sanji muttered bird stew recipes for a good long minute after that. 

(In other news, Mister Nine and Miss Wednesday had snuck off in the ruckus. They _did_ finish their food, so Sanji decided not to go after them.)

Crocus laughs boisterously. “You remind me of Roger, kid!” he says, “reckless, dumb, and doing whatever the hell he wants!”

It’s not a comparison that people often make, so it takes them by surprise. 

“Huh? Flower-ossan, you’ve met the Pirate King?” Luffy asks. 

Crocus hums, “of course I have! I’ve met everyone that’s come around these parts. I even made my way onto his ship as the doctor a couple times.”

“You sailed with the pirate king?!” this time the exclamation comes from everyone.

Usopp and Nami already knew at some point in their past lives, but it really is something that's awfully surprising. It's not bragworthy information either-- it just puts a target on your head, which is troublesome if you don't exploit it like Buggy did last time around. 

Just a second later however, Luffy realizes, “wait, you’re a doctor?!”

Crocus blinks, “yeah, did I not mention that? I’ve been treating Laboon from the inside this whole time, as I’ve said.”

And yes, he did say. Luffy just didn’t connect the dots, or he'd forgotten in the span of less than an hour. “That’s so cool ossan! Hey, we need a doctor for Gin, so join my crew!”

“I refuse.”

“EHHHHHHH? Why not?!”

“Because I’m old and rotten and tired of it now,” Crocus says, his answer straight and simple. Then he tides back to the previous statement, “what do you mean, you need a doctor for your crewmate?”

“Oh I knew I was forgetting something,” Nami says, setting a hand on Gin’s shoulder before the man walks too far away. “Dr Naho told us to refer him to a better doctor once we’re in the Grand Line, didn't he? You see, Gin here…”

...

“...WHAT!?” Crocus chokes on his drink, “I knew I’d seen you before! You were that lad on that armor brat’s ship a couple months back!”

Gin flinches at that. He didn’t expect to be recognized. 

They'd passed the lighthouse, but the Don had looked down on the measly lighthouse keeper. He demanded the space to fix their ship and trashed the house. Though it was all fixed up now, Gin only felt embarrassed for what happened before. 

In fact, he'd been actively avoiding looking right into Crocus' eyes until now for this very reason. 

“Dammit, knew he was up to no good… using poison on his own crew, huh?” Crocus looks Gin up and now, squinting specifically around the blue freckles and the bony fingers. 

He sighs, grabbing his booze and marching toward the lighthouse.

Gin shuffles uncomfortably. He appreciates a proper doctor's lookover and all, not that it would be able to completely cure him immediately, but it's hard not to feel awkward when you laughed at this same man a while back.

He doesn't exactly get a choice. A second later, Crocus barks loudly at him, earning a startled jump. “Hurry up! Gas is no fucking joke, so you better get in here so I can give you a full checkup!” 

Gin turns around, but Nami grabs his hand with her metal one and Kinoko lands on Gin’s head. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll go with you-- I need painkillers anyways,” she smiles assuringly at him, “Crocus’s a brutish old coot, but he’s nice, promise.”

(Why are you consoling me??)

Sanji catches the drift, grinning obnoxiously. "Hey hey Gin-kun," he says in a jeering tone, "need me to go with?” 

Gin sputters, finally realizing what they were doing. “I’m not a kid that doesn’t want to go to a doctor’s appointment!” he snaps, blushing, “I can go alone!”

* * *

Zoro helps Usopp cart the retrieved mizzen mast back to their ship. 

Crocus had extra lumber to spare, because there are plenty of shipwrecks that are washed down by the mountain, so with a lot of feeling around and Zoro doing the precision work, they managed to replace the more brittle parts of the wood and hold the mast together with steel plates with proper splints this time.

“Ideally, I’d want to get a proper shipwright to make us a whole new mast to replace it, but we’ll have to wait till we get somewhere with the service,” Usopp admits. He’s learned enough from Franky last time around to make one for a caravel, but without his eyes… “Small mercy that Luffy didn’t take the main mast.”

Honestly, thank the lords for that. 

Usopp reaches for the small pouch of beri that was hung on the main mast. There’s not much in here, but if they’d lost it, Nami would’ve kicked up a fuss…

...huh?

“Hey Usopp, I just have to stick this back on now, right?” Zoro asks, but doesn’t get a response.

Usopp has his hand in the pouch-- and he retrieves a small red orb that definitely wasn’t a beri coin. The man squints hard on it, but alas, he couldn’t make out anything but the dull red fog before him.

“What’s this?”

Nami wouldn’t place random things in this bag-- they know Usopp can’t tell coins apart, and it wouldn’t do if he gave the News Coo an object, because they can count, but they sure as hell don't barter. Only the correct coins are placed in here, so there shouldn’t be stray objects inside.

They’d only started putting the pouch here after their visit to Oykot, so if anyone put this inside, it’d be during Loguetown.

That’s strange. Kinoko was watching the ship, wasn’t she? Not that she could do anything if she was against a proper pirate-- but the ship wasn’t ransacked or anything. Who would come in just to leave this weird thing and go?

_Actually, what even is it?_

Usopp feels around, feeling faint carvings on the surface. It's not a deep enough indentation for Usopp to tell what's on it, so after trying for a moment he gives up on that. 

“Zoro, is anything written on this thing?” he asks, reaching out to where he senses the swordsman to be. 

And when Zoro picks it up to inspect it, he hums. “It’s a pirate flag,” he says, “uhh, I think I’ve seen this somewhere before. It’s got three eyes-- wait no, it’s a nose.”

(A nose that looks like an eye? Or just a big nose in general?)

(Oh, because it’s a carving on a plain-coloured stone, so it’s got no additional colours in it to distinguish the nose from the eye.)

(So, a flag with a big coloured nose in the center.)

(...wait.)

“Buggy’s flag?!” he yelps, surprised. 

Zoro hums, now recognizing where he’d seen it before-- Nami’s flown that one for a bit, on the way to Syrup or something-- but that thing meant a lot more to Usopp. 

“Holy crap, it’s a Buggy passport,” he whispers. He can’t suppress the grin on his own face. “I’ve never seen one before.” _Not that he’s seeing it now either, but details._ "I heard it's the hardest one in the world to get. This is amazing."

Zoro looks at him weirdly, “a what?”

“We need to tell Nami _now_ ,” he says, picking up his walking stick. He’s way too excited for this, “on the Grand Line, there’s no better weapon in your arsenal than an information passport, Zoro. We’ve struck gold here.” 

Oh lord, they’ve got Buggy to thank for this. Viva la time travel, Buggy is a great person.

“Stop being cryptid and tell me what the hell’s a 'passport' for, Usopp!”


	25. troublesome teens all around.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exhibit A:  
> "Tashigi, you JUST realized Nami was at Loguetown?" 
> 
> Exhibit B:  
> "Stop spoiling Luffy, he says. And then he walks around with Luffy on his shoulders."
> 
> Exhibit C:  
> "You are not going to a desert, Nami. You want third degree burns? That is how you get third degree burns."
> 
> Exhibit C #2:  
> "Marco, is Nami in her rebellious phase?"  
> "No, you just need to do about three miles of mental gymnastics to understand her. You'll get used to it."
> 
> Exhibit D:  
> "I'm not dying, Izo. I'm just seeing my dead brother's ghost. Nothing new."

“Eh? You met Namizo-kun?”

“It’s just Nami now, apparently. Don’t refer to her so personally.” 

Tashigi is honestly a very slow individual, and Smoker groans longsufferingly. Their ship was en route to the Grand Line, and ensigns were all working to catch as much wind as they could on the ever-quiet Grand Line. 

“Were you too obsessed with chasing Roronoa, you didn’t even see Burglar Cat and Man Demon jaywalking across town?” he says, irritated. 

Tashigi sputters, “I- I’m sorry, Captain Smoker sir!” because honestly, she didn’t, and she’s baffled by that too. 

Smoker looks as if he’s contemplating some sort of murder, but he always looks like that so Tashigi just looks down and hopes for the best.

They’ve all seen her wanted poster-- apparently, she was a pirate now, all the way through. But Tashigi found it difficult to see anything but the one she looked up to so much in her budding days on the ship. 

She respected Namizo, even after what she’s become. 

_(“One day, I’ll leave. You’ll want to leave too, one day. Away from these confines, to pursue the true Justice that you really think is right. You’re a good girl after all, I’m sure you’ll be able to go for it.”)_

_(“Me? Unfortunately, I don’t think Justice is quite my thing. Rules, confines-- they’re necessary, I don’t deny. It’s just where on the scale you want to stand on that depends.”)_

_(“Liberty is more my drift, if you get me. And if I want to follow a Captain, I want to chose it-- I don’t want to be assigned to one.”)_

_(Saying so, the crossdresser sets a hand on his bandaged shoulder, looking far away-- at something unattainable, at least for now.)_

_(Tashigi wouldn’t lie and say she empathizes. But she wrapped her arms around him and held him close-- because she couldn’t bear to see him crumble under the weight of the secrets he didn’t want to disclose.)_

Tashigi had suspected, from that day and that strange conversation, that Namizo wasn’t going to remain a Marine under a deck. She didn’t expect the whole other extreme, however… but she’d agonized about this for weeks. It was time to move on. 

(She wonders if Namizo had found the liberty he-- no, _she_ sought for.)

Prodding nervously at her sword, she tries her luck, “uhm… is Namizo-kun doing well?”

Smoker immediately slams his hands against the desk with an explosion of “Tashigi, you are NOT getting friendly with a damn pirate I don’t care about the history!” so Tashigi, terrified for her life, scampers out.

“Y- Yes sir!” she squeaks, “I’m sorry! Very sorry! Please excuse me!”

She gets as far away as she can (mentally apologizing to the ensigns that have to deal with his temper now) and slumps to the ground, exhausted.

But she finds herself giggling at the image after the adrenaline runs out.

If Captain Smoker is _that_ temperamental… Namizo must be doing well, then.

(They’re enemies now, so of course she’ll have to draw her blade next time they meet.)

(But secretly, just secretly though… Tashigi is relieved to know Namizo is now free of the chronic weight on his shoulders.) 

(The snide smirk she sports on the bounty poster assured as much.)

-

* * *

-

“So, according to this, you’re going to die in a year.”

“Huh?”

“I’m just kidding, you’ve only got five months left to live.”

“HUH?!”

Crocus’ sense of humour is not appreciated here, so after three consecutive back-and-forths of a similar nature, Nami stands up and smashes his head in with the Seastone bracelet. 

Then they finally have their explanation.

So it goes like this: 

The poison has flowed out of his system-- not completely, but all that remains is the remnant weakness that sticks like a scar, clumped and congested within the veins, unable to leave the flow.

And that means the weakness can’t be cleared through natural means. 

It’ll only get worse as the work becomes more strenuous, and eventually, it’ll begin to cause muscle weaknesses and trigger organ failures. 

For a sailor in the Grand Line, that’s already one hell of a red flag. 

All this along with Gin’s crumbling mental health, already compromised physical stature, and the oncoming strife of the Grand Line? A normal man would last about five months at most, and that’s a generous prediction that assumes the patient gets plenty of rest.

“But if you’re a monster of a guy, you’ll probably make it to half a year,” Crocus says, feeling generous. “I mean, Roger’s crew was like that too. Bunch of crazy fools, a hurricane can’t stop them if they laugh it out, apparently.”

Gin doesn’t find that funny at all.

Nami hums at that. “Is there any way to cure this?” she asks. It’s a blood disease at this point, after all-- surely surgery or medicine of some sort should be able to…

“No,” Crocus says, the words filling Nami with dread. The doctor immediately elaborates, “not as far as my knowledge goes, at least. But the Grand Line is vast.” 

(There is no illness without a cure. Out there in the Grand Line, it’s only a matter of time, endurance, and knowledge.)

Gin sighs. “I was already prepared to die,” he says. 

Of course, he’s frustrated. 

“Don’t give up so easily!” Nami says, sharply. “We just have to get a doctor as soon as we can, don’t we. If we can’t find a cure immediately, there are definitely ways to delay the effects. Blood diseases are common, after all. There’s plenty of ways to relieve the symptoms, even if it’s chronic.”

Gin sighs. _So he’s going to be an invalid forever?_

“I’d rather not be a burden,” he says. He’ll probably be down for days at times, and finding a doctor may be important, but if they don’t find one in time…

“Gin,” Nami speaks up, her voice stern. 

She makes sure the man turns to her before she continues. 

“I can barely lift my arm right now,” she confesses. “The pain gets worse each second, and honestly? I ducked in here because the breeze really, really hurts.”

And that’s when Gin notices the faint crease in her brows. She kept her wrist rested on her lap, but nothing else touched it. Her breath comes out just a hint shakier than the previous one-- but she takes a quick breath, and it’s stable again.

“It’s not just me,” she says. “Usopp is blind. We forget about it all the time-- but he can’t see a gun if it’s fired right in front of his face. He can sense it, but catch him in a crowd and he’s the easiest target you’ll ever find.”

And that-- is honestly debatable, but true. 

“So don’t you _dare_ think an illness is enough to be considered useless on this ship,” she says, her voice low enough to be a threat. “We go through it together. Luffy chose you for what you were, understood?”

Gin takes a moment too long to answer.

“Yeah, I get it,” is all he manages to say. 

He bites his lip and he can’t let them go enough to give any more than a grunt, because the tears are spilling from his eyes and he lowers his head, hoping no one looks at him.

But he can’t help it. 

Illness isn’t uselessness? Then what on earth is it, because Gin has never done anything except shove a sick crewmate off a rowboat in his life. 

If you don’t work, you don’t eat, you don’t earn, and you don’t live. That was the law of the lower world, and Gin’s lived his whole life like that.

_(“We go through it together.”)_

He doesn’t know how to do that, though.

“Well, for starters,” Nami sighs fondly, “how about you go outside?”

And he does, after wiping away his tears. 

He does, and Luffy squeals at the sight of him, barreling into him with all the force of a Gum Gum Rocket that shouldn’t have been used in this narrow piece of land. Gin goes crashing backwards into rock and stray wood pieces, and damn that hurts, but Luffy’s bright smile expels all of the anger that he wanted to let explode.

“Gin!” Luffy cheers, “hey listen to this, Sanji’s being a total asshole! He’s not letting me eat anymore food even though we still have a lot of the cow left! You’re in charge of the storage so tell him I can eat more!”

Gin’s arms are wrapped around Luffy’s-- his _captain’s_ \-- back, and just a little, he lets his eyes soften as he squeezes back.

(This crew is childish, and never takes things seriously.)

(But maybe that’s fine.)

"Hey, Captain," he says, and by the way Luffy tenses, the uncommon referral was important to him. "Why did you ask me to come on board?"

Luffy leans back so Gin can look him in the eye. He’s pouting.

"Because I need you on my crew, of course!" He says, even though the only times he's seen Gin are times when he was a traitor, a coward, and a man dying of lethal poison.

For what, he doesn’t ask. 

"This ship can’t work without you!" Luffy says, with startling confidence. "You're the nakama of the future Pirate King, you know?"

That’s bullshit, and Gin knows it. The ship would work fine-- well, not at all, seeing as they’re a crazy crew of just six people and a bird and they’re already past the Red Line-- but Gin was not essential.

He didn’t believe he was essential. 

But he’s the _nakama_ of the future Pirate King, huh?

That sounds almost foreign to his ears. Yet… it rolled off his tongue so much better, and felt so much more sincere than it had ever done for Krieg’s name. 

( _Ah_ , Gin thinks. He feels like crying again.)

(He doesn't though. He just chuckles, and hugs back.)

“No, you’re not allowed to eat more food,” Gin finally says, and Luffy whines loudly, so he snaps back harshly, “you already ate a ton, you idiot."

Luffy whines louder, but he doesn’t let go.

A quartermaster’s role on a ship is to keep the crew in check. If Luffy’s given him the title, then he guesses gotta do his job. 

(Huh? When did he officially begin to consider himself the man for the role?) 

Gin doesn’t throw his captain off of him. The hug is tight and a little suffocating, but the warmth it brings isn’t unwelcome.

(And maybe-- just maybe-- Gin can let himself enjoy it.)

“Hey Laboon! You want some food too, right? See, he wants some! Let’s share!”

“I said NO!”

-

Miss Wednesday sighs. They’d barely managed to clamber onto their boat and get some distance-- but this was bad news.It’s been much too long since their assignment-- the Unluckies should be here soon. 

“For now, let’s go back to Whiskey Peak and--”

She freezes.

Her log pose wasn’t in her pocket.

(When--?!)

“What’s wrong, Miss Wednesday?” Mister Nine asks, unnerved by the awkward pause. Then his jaw drops. “M- Miss Wednesday! Your shoulder!”

She blinks. A look to the side and-- she _shrieks_.

The Strawhat’s armor-wearing bird flutters carefully from her shoulder onto the boat, pruning herself for a moment before turning back forward to consider the two agents. 

“W- w- w- when did it get here?!” they yelp. “It’s a spy! It’s gonna kill us!”

“No, Mister Nine, calm down, it’s just a bird,” Miss Wednesday says, her exasperation breaking her character briefly, “but it’s this bird’s fault we got found in the first place!”

Kinoko caws, because she’s very well aware of that. 

“What are you doing here anyways?” Mister Nine says, carefully approaching it. His hand is pecked sharply when he gets too close, so he has no idea what the bird wants. 

They’d lost their bazooka to the sea in their panicking scramble, and it was almost embarrassing to know it was because of such a small bird. They’re used to working with a larger one, after all. 

“Is it surveilling us and just waiting to report back to its owners?” Miss Wednesday wonders. Kinoko caws twice, and Miss Wednesday quickly notices the problem, “oh, sorry. Are you a she?”

Kinoko nods. 

“She might be just watching us for our movements--” Miss Wednesday corrects herself and continues. 

“Did you just ask for the pronouns of an avian creature like it was a normal thing to do?”

“Well look at the point here,” she turns the situation back. “She’s an East Blue bird, and they’re naive East Blue pirates, so I think that’ll work against them. We can capture this bird and use it as a hostage. We just have to tell them we’re going to Whiskey Peak and they’ll follow us somehow!”

“That’s a great idea!” Mister Nine says, joyful. “That’ll be something efficient to report back on! We’re in luck… alright, Miss Wednesday, which way?”

Pause.

Miss Wednesday’s face loses all colour.

“I uh,” she fiddles with her fingers, looking anywhere but at her partner right now, “think we lost the Log Pose. Sorry.”

“EH?!”

Miss Wednesday buries her face into her hands, “I’m sorry! I think it was the long-nosed-- I knew it was suspicious that he didn’t search us for weapons…”

“Miss Wednesday, how could you!” Mister Nine wails, though the blame is mostly half-hearted. “Now we’ll have to double back. The unluckies will find us soon if we don’t-- Stop laughing, bird! Go back to our owners already!”

And he grabs the bird (it’s the perfect throwball size, there was just this perpetual urge to baseball it across the horizon), chucking it into the air in one smooth motion. 

Kinoko spins in the air for a startled bit, then spreads her wings and easily balances herself again. She stays just out of reach this time, continuing to make those choking laughter noises just to annoy the living daylights out of the agent. 

“Dammit! If I had my bat with me you’d be minced, I tell you!”

“What are you even doing here, anyways?! Go away!”

Kinoko scoffs. She looks up for a moment, impervious to Miss Wednesday’s screech of irritation. Seemingly catching sight of something, she carefully starts flying again, making her way back toward the Twin Capes.

“Wha-- it’s going back?!”

“It’s a she, Mister Nine,” Miss Wednesday says, absolutely exhausted at this point. “But that’s a relief, we have to change our plans now--”

She turns around just in time to see what looks like a paper parcel dropping in from the sky. There’s a lit fuse attached to it. 

Her mouth is still agape.

Mister Nine turns around just in time to scream, “GET DOWN!!”

Kinoko watches the scene from just far enough, glaring pointedly at the large vulture and sea otter in the sky. They stare at each other in animalistic silence, their hostility evident even without any obvious movements. 

In disinterested unison, they part in their separate directions to report back to their owners on the happenings.

-

Crocus watches silently as the man leaves the room, his shoulders sagging with the fear of his impending death.

Roger never once let his illness take over his expressions. He smiled through all of it, and only faltered behind closed doors, and only in the dead of the night where no one would know. 

Gin would get to that point one day. Crocus could see it.

He takes a drag of his cigarette and extinguishes it by the table. “Alright, now that that’s out of the way…” he lifts his gaze toward Nami, “you need something?”

She had said that her arm hurt. That was normal-- phantom pains, weather sores-- there wasn’t much that could be done for it. 

He reaches for the painkillers though. He always keeps plenty of that in his shack for these situations. 

Nami nods, straightening her back. She doesn’t reach out to receive the pills, she just considers them with a gratified nod and continues, “we’re making a stop at Drum--”

“Without a doctor or a physician?” Crocus interrupts before she even gets past the name, “do you want to die? Forget it. Why did you come into the Grand Line without a physician to begin with? What’ll you do if it snows?”

Nami can’t help but bark out a laugh. “Knew you’d say that. But listen to me until the end, we’re probably going to drop by Alabasta after that.”

Crocus sputters at that. “That’s suicide!” he says, exasperated. He pinches the bridge of his nose-- man, he’s had to deal with someone like this on Roger’s ship too. History really repeats itself, doesn’t it?

To begin with, prostheses were the worst things to have on a sea journey. Metal as they were, they were obnoxious conductors of the heat and cold.

In a desert, they would overheat and cause severe burns on her skin. If the heat permeates into her core, it could even cause permanent nerve damage; In the cold, the frostbite would be agonizing, and the oil that geared her movements would fail similarly.

Special steel cultivated from the hottest island and the coldest islands on the Grand Line-- that was what the most durable prostheses are made of. It allowed for a certain degree of resistance against the most extreme of both weathers, but nothing could really be a perfect countermeasure. 

(After all, it could be refined to resist scorching heat all it wanted, but it’s still going to go wrong with wear and tear and they’ll have to remake it again. It’s just part and parcel of having prostheses.)

So hopefully, he says, “did your brothers at least give you proper New World Models?” 

It’s not often that someone calls the Whitebeards her brothers-- so it takes her a moment to register it. But when it does, it blooms happily in her chest. 

Nami chuckles bashfully, “well, they insisted, even though I said Paradise models were fine,” she tells him. “I’m wearing the Winter model now--”

“That’s a bad habit to do on summer islands.”

“I know, I know,” she says. “But I’ve been in the Blues for a while, so no extremes there.” 

Winter models were lighter, but could really easily go wrong in extreme heat, so it’s not good to make a habit of wearing it perpetually. New World Models weren’t weak enough to fall to some normal summer heat, but it’s not great to be complacent. It’s really been awhile since there was someone around to tell her off about it.

“Back on topic, back on topic,” Nami says, deciding that they needed to steer back to the subject at hand. “We’re crossing Little Garden before then, so I’ll need to change to the Heat model now, and back to the Winter model before we get to Drum. And, as you know, I can’t do it myself…”

“Get a doctor,” is Crocus’ response. “As soon as you can.”

Nami sighs, “it’s on our agenda. But until then, I’ve only got you, and if you’re willing to teach one of my crewmates how to do it…”

Reattaching a prosthetic arm and screwing in the nerves is a delicate, painful process. It doesn’t take long at all, but one thing was clear-- you wouldn’t be able to do it to yourself if you want it to be put on right. 

Nami has had Dr Nako and the Whitebeards help her with it thus far, but no one on the Strawhats had that sort of experience with prosthetics. 

Except perhaps Usopp. He may have the qualifications on all grounds, maybe even experience-- but some things shouldn’t be done sightless, and he can’t always set his Haki to maximum output. 

“Who in the crew do you think can do it?” Crocus asks her. “Your captain’s a fun, charismatic sort-- but I’ll say it for you, he ain’t up to it. Reattaching a prosthetic is hard-- I think you know the gist.”

Nami feels a little offended on Luffy’s behalf, but unfortunately, Crocus is right. That’s what she loves about Luffy, though… He’s dumb and hopeless in way too many things-- but if there’s something he can undeniably do, it’s to hold his comrades in his arms so they don’t go astray. 

Sanji seems like the smart choice, but he wouldn’t be able to handle it if Nami so much as winced in pain. Nami had a feeling he’d lock himself in his room out of guilt or something, and that’s not something she can count on in dire times.

(You may trust your crew, but who do you _depend on_?)

There was just a subtle difference in the meaning when you put it that way. 

Nami turns toward the door with a smile. 

“Yeah, I know who can,” she says.

-

She steps out and is greeted by a very bumbling sharpshooter. 

“NAMI!” Usopp’s using that overly excited voice she honestly hasn’t heard in a while so hearing it again filled her with conflicted joy and utter confusion, “look at this for me and tell me what you see.”

And then he hands her a small bullet-sized red orb. She held it carefully, noting the intricate, almost annoying detail of the Buggy Pirates flag, and frowned.

“It’s a Buggy Ball,” she observes, “the really mini version.”

But the size is a little bigger than what she’s used to seeing. Buggy Balls were made to be minuscule, after all, this was still a little big. Right about the size of a bead necklace-- she rolled it around her hand, confused as to why Usopp would be so exhilarated by it. 

Actually, how did Usopp even acquire this?

“I said _look_ at it, Nami.”

“I am--” Nami stills. “Oh, you mean haki.” 

So Usopp’s definition of ‘look’ is different now? Alright then. She closes her eyes and focuses. 

A pulsing, undeniable strength, so faint, it would be there until you tried to see. And among that sound, there’s a word carved in with sheer will. 

_‘For the New World’._

“Oh, tell me I’m not dreaming,” she gasps, holding the Buggy Ball against the sun. “Is this an actual Buggy passport?” 

Usopp’s smile grows. “It is!”

Nami could’ve cried right there.

An information passport-- well, that’s the blanket term, at least. Information comes at a high price in a world like this, and Nami got to know that in the later part of her past life. 

The four devas of information control all those channels in the Grand Line, and in order to survive alone, you need to gain the backing of at least one of them. Of course, in exchange you’ll have to be their source of information as well, as a tradeoff. 

(Ivankov was a big factor to why Nami lived as long as she did last time around.) 

Information doesn’t discriminate. It’s valuable to every side of the war, including World Nobles, Marines, Revolutionaries and Pirates alike-- and it goes without saying that the devas are people of significant power themselves. 

It’s a much more political and psychological side of war that always goes on, and Nami was at the center of it for a good part of her past life. 

Their identities are mostly unknown, but passports were like their emblem-- a mark that signifies to the world that you’ve gained their influence. No one has seen all of them at once, but those who can read Haki will recognize it immediately. 

That’s why, in the later parts of the Grand Line, most of the big names have connections to at least two devas to avoid any chances of a loss of information. 

(The ‘passports’ were always different. From a declaration to the world, wearing their mark on their bodies-- or as a physical representation, like Buggy’s.)

(A solidified bead of the man’s own blood, made with technology of the New World combined with his own Devil Fruit power. If it ever changed hands into someone untrustworthy, it would probably dissipate.)

(And before it was called the Buggy passport, it was called _Roger’s, for the nameless information gatherer of that crew_.)

“Woah, Buggy’s?” Crocus whistles in amazement behind her. “Haven’t seen one in about two decades now. You guys must have done something crazy for it.”

Usopp snickers, “well, not us exactly. You’ll probably see it in the newspapers tomorrow.”

“Well, I’ll keep an eye out.”

“Ah, I see, that’s what Coby’s trying to do,” Nami realizes, fiddling with the Buggy Ball in her hand. “Even back then, the Revs didn’t have too many devas on their line, so he’s trying to become the fifth. Makes sense.”

She hands the ball back to Usopp with a smile. 

“Love it. We’ve _got_ to treat that guy to a meal someday,” she says. 

Earning Buggy’s favour is the same as earning the favour of all other owners of this specific passport-- and hell, Buggy’s connections are _scary_. 

“What exactly _is_ a passport, dammit?” there’s Zoro, running along with Usopp’s walking stick in his hand. “And dammit Usopp, don’t run blind along a cliff! At least bring your bird with you!”

He looked like he’d just gone through three separate heart attacks and was still trying to recover-- Usopp had, after all, lunged over the ship, landed on a suspiciously tiny piece of rock, and then geppo-ed across to the bank. Zoro still has no idea what half of that is, but he was almost ready to jump into the sea if that idiot fell. 

Nami snorts, but she tries to hide it. 

“Ah, you brought my walking stick! Thanks,” Usopp says, like he didn’t just defy the laws of being blind for author convenience, “and well, it’s hard to explain, but basically we’ve got connections to the underworld now.”

“The underworld? Why’d we need that?” Zoro frowns at it. Did Usopp seriously get all excited just for that? 

“Well, Luffy definitely wouldn’t want any, but information is valuable,” Usopp explains simply. 

He lets Zoro chew on the rest of that himself-- Zoro’s smart enough to understand the big picture on his own, after all. 

Zoro sighs. In the distance, Sanji and Luffy are still fighting over the last piece of meat, and Gin is carting Luffy around the place to make sure he tactically goes nowhere near the rest of the meat. 

“Whatever then,” he decides. “I’m gonna go take a nap--”

“Wait, wait, Zoro.” Nami says, setting a hand on his shoulder. Her metal arm reaches behind her and retrieves a Log Pose, which she hands to Usopp. 

Usopp stares at the Log Pose, “ah yes, let me go chart the course. Excellent idea.”

Nami whacks him over the head with a metal arm. She succeeds, but she also bowls over in incredible sores right after. Usopp’s head is bleeding, but he just holds it and cringes, because he definitely deserved that one.

Regardless, Nami composes herself, wiping away a pained tear in her eyes to face the swordsman.

“Great timing actually, I’ve got an important favour to ask.”

Zoro glances back, confused. 

-

Happily, Usopp takes the Buggy passport back toward the rest of the crew. 

He has his walking stick again, so he taps around the area slowly, easing the strain on his haki. He’ll need it at full blast for the starting storm at the exit, so first, a break. 

Luffy is still arguing because how _dare_ they not eat all the food they have, Sanji is working the meat smoker, and Gin is helping, while carting around his monkey of a captain like a very noisy article of clothing.

He senses Kinoko coming from the sides, and raises an arm to receive her on his elbow. 

“Hey, girl, had fun out there?” he asks. It takes him a moment to smell the new scent in her feathers, and Usopp smiles sadly, reaching over to rub her under the wing. “I did tell you to mark her a little, but I guess the other way around worked better, huh.”

A little scent of powder, like a dust of makeup. The sour wisp of chlorine at the tips, tainted with gunpowder and berries of an unknown origin. It’s a familiar scent, not unlike the earth and oranges that spelled Nami to his senses. 

The blood solution would’ve worked better, so he could track them with his Haki-- but a second ago, they’d fallen into the sea, so that was a bust. The smell was a nice tradeoff, though.

Speaking of idiots falling into the sea… 

“Gin, have you used a log pose before?” he asks, approaching the crowd. 

“A what?” Gin does not know. No wonder Don Krieg’s ship crashed and burned so quickly, they’d have died even before Mihawk got to them, what the heck. 

Luffy is more curious about “a Rock? What rock?”

Usopp sighs, raising the log pose in his hand. It’s back to Nami being the only capable one again, huh… he can at least give Gin a rundown, then. Even Usopp knows by theory how it works, after all. He just doesn’t know how to read the wind and that stuff. 

“We can use the map of Reverse Mountain Nami’s drawn before. Most of the starting seven islands are charted on it, after all. Do you have it?”

“It’s on the ship, gimme a minute.”

And then he begins walking, and not for the first time in this life but possibly for the strongest urge in a while, Usopp desperately wants his vision back just to see Gin casually making his way up the ship with Luffy humming Bink’s Sake on his shoulders. 

It warms his heart, in a bitter, so sweet, and so painful way. He can feel it so well with his Haki, but it was a sight that just remained in the dredges of his imagination. 

He was always so proud of his imagination, but now… now, it’s the only thing he has left. 

He can still make those things come true one by one, and he can still feel them around him. But he’ll never see it. And that still hurts, sometimes. (All the time. It never goes away, it just dulls.)

But _get used to it, Usopp_ , the voice in his heart tells him. (Do I have to?) _Of course you do. A brave man doesn’t cry for things that can’t be helped-- he finds a way out of it._

And he nods to himself, bringing a smile to his face.

He finds a rock, and sits down. 

-

Somewhere in the distance, Sanji takes a step for ‘your hand, Miss Wednesday’, and the girl, choked in smoke and the aftermath of a parcel explosion, decides to take it because otherwise she’ll just straight up lose her mind at this point.

Mister Nine is much less composed, clutching the edge of the cape as curses spill out of his throat to such a passionate degree, Sanji had to take a moment to be impressed. 

“Damn those Unluckies! Didn’t even give us a chance to explain!” 

Miss Wednesday gets up, biting her lip tightly. She looks around-- but the Unluckies were already too far in the distance, no chance of providing any further explanation. Were they headed back to Whiskey Peak?

...but that makes no sense. To the executioners, Miss Wednesday and Mister Nine had failed and thus were declared defects to the organization-- that’s how it worked. 

So why wouldn’t they make sure she and Mister Nine are dead? They’re never this sloppy.

(Unless they _want_ her to make it back to Whiskey Peak and regroup with Mister Eight and Miss Monday? Is this a second chance? Yeah, that must be it.) 

She crouches down beside Mister Nine in a pretense of helping him up. She whispers to him, “well, since they spared us, I’m guessing we still have hope. We should hurry and regroup, and proceed with Plan M-8.”

Mister Nine meets her eyes-- and nods.

Immediately, they get on their knees, “Mister Chef, we have a request! Please allow us to speak to your captain!”

Sanji blinks at them, taking a skeptical drag of his cigarette. 

(They need to draw these chumps to Whiskey Peak. But why… why does she feel like something just doesn’t add up?)

-

* * *

-

“Oyaji? We’ve got an advanced notice,” Marco enters the captain’s quarters with a paper in his hands. “Getting a visitor soon.”

“Ho?” 

“Yeah, it came through the Buggy line,” he says, waving the paper around nonchalantly. He closes the door behind him, half of the commanders already inside the room, having been called an hour prior. “As usual, I have no idea how he gets a hold of this info.”

Thatch hums amusedly at that, leaning over the edge of the table. “Is it trouble? Like Akagami suddenly wants an audience, or something.”

Marco scoffs, “That guy doesn’t care to be subtle, so no way.”

“What, if it’s Shanks, let’s have a party!” Ace says, cheerful. 

“Ace, no. For the last time, we cannot do that casually. There’s a routine to this.”

“Awh, we have to fight really badly first?”

“That’s what we did with Roger, yes.”

“Thatch, no. That is not how it works. Stop putting ideas into Ace’s head.”

Whitebeard rests his chin on his arm, looking aside in thought. “Do we know what our guest wants from us?”

Marco shakes his head. “But it’s from the Revolutionary Army.”

Izo hums. “I reckon they’re finally going to fix the problem with Ivankov’s passport going offline for years. It’s been a real nuisance these days...”

“But just a representative? Who do they think they are? Bring Dragon, dammit.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“We ain’t got time for that nonsense.”

“Just asking, but we don’t have to serve tea, right? Just asking.” 

The Strongest man of the seas raises his hand, and his children fall silent. “I don’t believe Dragon would strike needless conversation. He’s always been the more resourceful sort, after all. I suspect it has something to do with Aladine making a sharp turn in our direction as well.”

And that was true. They’d gotten Nami’s new bounty poster a few days ago (they had celebrated intensely) but they had also heard that Aladine was making a rush trip back. 

They had guessed their youngest sister had an urgent message to send, and were eagerly awaiting the fishman’s arrival. 

Now, it seemed much more urgent than before. Was it something that threatened the crew, so much that a revolutionary had to get involved if Aladine didn’t make it in time?

It was hard to guess. 

“Wait, Marco-- how soon is this ‘soon’ you’re talking about?” Izo realizes. Information over a few Red Lines always came with a time delay, after all. They were expecting Aladine in two days, so what about the Revolutionary rep?

Marco seems to need a moment to think at that. Then almost regrettably he concludes, “uh, tomorrow, give or take a couple hours?”

“Marco!”

“That’s way too little time to do anything!”

The Phoenix raises his hands in his own defense. “Hey, don’t blame me! It’s hard to do the math when you have to account for the speed of the wind and waves!”

Everyone gets on Marco’s case for that either way, but most of them just laugh out loud. 

“Wait, how the hell does the Revolutionary Army get here faster than a Fishman?” Ace asks, genuinely confused. 

“Well, the Revolutionaries can travel through air like Marco, so depending on where you’re coming from, it’s quicker,” Thatch says. “For example, instead of following the sea route that lands you in Paradise, you can get straight into the New World from Reverse Mountain if you cross over the top in the other direction.”

“Huh?”

“Aladine can get into Paradise through the Calm Belt, but he can’t cut through to the other side of Reverse Mountain cause there isn’t an opening like the one on Fishman Island. He has to go the longer way through Fishman Island to get into the New World.”

“Wait, I don’t get it.” 

Everyone stares at their youngest in an exasperated moment. Then Marco sighs, “meeting is dismissed. Someone get a map in here, we’re giving Ace an impromptu geography lesson.”

“Eeeehh?!”

-

The Revolutionary Representative arrives around daybreak.

Ace was on watch with Izo when they spotted the figure in the distance. 

“Showing up without a disguise, huh. That’s quite bold of them,” Izo hums. 

“Is there a real need for that on the open sea?” Ace asks, reaching over the crows nest for the bell that alerts the commanders of incoming visitors. He hollers, “one small vessel approaching, Oyaji!” 

“Of course. I told you about the information channels, haven’t I?” Izo says. 

With his roots in the seclusive land of Wano, Izo had made it a great point after becoming a Whitebeard to learn all about the information lines of the outside world. He’s quite literally the professional on this topic, at least on this ship. 

Ace had only started learning about them a month after becoming the Second Commander, out of necessity for meetings. 

(Come to think of it, he still owed Nami a drink for that one time they made the bet about whether he would accept Commandership of a division… She left before seeing him actually take it, huh.)

(Wonder what she’s doing now.) 

“Ah… the News Coo, right?” he remembers now. One of the four information devas gained their information through the eyes of the newspaper delivery birds-- that was a real pain in the ass when going incognito, especially because everyone relies on them for the public news so you _need_ to interact with one every day. 

But here this Revolutionary Army guy was, glaring and obvious and without a disguise. What happened to their staple greenish coats? I guess it's still early for News Coos to show up yet, but it's still a risk. 

“Are they trying not to appear as a threat?” Izo wonders. “Or is it the opposite, and this means they’re currently fully armed?” 

It was hard to tell, with them. 

Ace squints. Something about the obnoxious cravat-top hat-goggles combination just rubbed him the wrong way. 

The commanders were waking up now, making their way out of the chambers into the deck to greet their quite uninvited guest. Ace joins them below, waiting patiently for the rowboat to come close enough.

Two knocks against the hull.

“Permission to come aboard, Captain Whitebeard?”

Ace freezes. 

_(No.)_

“Come on up and state your business, young one.”

And the figure approaches, the hat on his head a painfully obvious replica of something that still sits in Ace’s family home, dusted every day. He looks up, the slightly curled blond hair framing his face, shadowing the large remnants of an awful burn on his left. 

“I request a private audience with the Captain,” he says. 

And that voice, that irritatingly polite tone of voice, confident in a way that could only be a birthmark in his mannerisms-- Ace clenched his fists tight, turning away immediately.

“Ace?” Izo asks, his voice softened. 

Ace doesn’t look up. Izo sighs and turns his attention back to the crowd. 

Uncannily similar, from little quirks to general idiosyncrasies. Ace could throw up right now, because he hasn’t felt so much sinking pain in his chest since he saw his world burn before his eyes. 

It’s boiling, like some sort of incurable illness that has been in his blood since the day Sabo died out there, somewhere he couldn’t see. 

(You’ll never be rid of this pain called _grief_ , Makino had told him. It occasionally dulls, and sometimes it fades to make way for laughter, but it’ll come back. That’s why you have to hold tightly onto all your precious things-- they’ll help ease the pain.)

The conversation between the Revolutionary and his Captain continues, despite his internal turmoil.

The Revolutionary has a piece of paper in his hands now. It’s a letter, apparently, written in their code. “Apple Cider,” it reads, followed by the sketch of the Whitebeard’s mark. 

A simple cross and crescent-- that was the specific caricature only the Whitebeards were allowed to wear. If this was fake, the revolutionary representative would be killed, Dragon be damned. 

“If you’re trying to say this came from Nami, I will have to call bullshit, unfortunately,” Marco says, not quite believing it just yet. “To begin with, this isn’t her handwriting.”

The Revolutionary nods. “I believe it was one of her crewmates that delivered the code to me, under her orders. It came with orders of urgency.”

That makes sense. 

Nami can’t write with that metal arm of hers (lines and scales were feasible with her left hand and maybe even her teeth, but actual writing was impossible if you sought legibility in any form), so she had the habit of making someone else write letters for her. 

The drawn Whitebeard Mark was definitely Nami’s handiwork, though. Marco recognized the strokes. No one outside the Whitebeards should know these details, so this was quite good confirmation that this _is_ in fact Nami’s work.

But it didn’t make sense that Nami would go out of her way to contact a Revolutionary, who knew enough to code a conversation with the Chief of Staff of all people, to send a message twice. 

(Unless Nami _already_ had a Revolutionary friend even before they met her, then they couldn’t complain, but still.)

Marco wasn’t going to falter yet. “Then say it right here.”

It could still be a long-running trick, after all. Aladdin was most probably on his way to deliver the same message, and there’s no need for two letters. 

“With all due respect, Marco the Phoenix,” his tone is sharper in annoyance, and the crew tenses in the preamble of a battle, “I am not a delivery man that can bend the rules of customer privacy. I simply came because I believe this affects both our parties.” 

The two of them glared pointedly at each other. Thatch had a hand on his blades, though the nonchalant smile was still on his face.

The Revolutionary should be aware that he was on enemy grounds. So the only reason he would be acting impatiently-- would be if he was a fool, or if he was actually in an urgent situation.

Finally, Whitebeard relents. “Into the meeting room,” he decides. Marco tries to protest, but Whitebeard adds on, “Marco will participate. That is as far as I will compromise.”

The Revolutionary lowers his head. “It will suffice. I appreciate your understanding.”

They enter the room, and the commanders remain outside. None of them have quite eased yet-- because if this was real, something terrible had come up, so much that Nami had to send _two_ messengers instead of just one in Aladine. 

It was definitely cause for alarm, if nothing else. 

The urge to eavesdrop was incredible, but Whitebeard gave his word for a private conversation. No one is allowed to jeopardize that.

“Hey, Ace, you alright there?” 

Ace jumps in surprise. Izo’s staring at him, but Thatch was the one that touched his shoulder in concern.

“Is this a hungry thing, or a tired thing?” the chef asks, genuinely concerned but slightly skeptical in case it was just something dumb. “I know you don’t like being nagged about it, but did you take your meds yet?”

“Probably not,” Izo sighs, “night watch, after all. How about we get breakfast settled?”

 _Narcolepsy, right,_ Ace thinks. Maybe he’s just hallucinating. Maybe his head isn’t clear, that’s why he’s seeing things like a boy that’s got unearthly similarities to his dead brother all grown up.

“Yeah, maybe I’m just sleepy,” he yawns. “I’ll go take a nap. Call me when Pops and Marco are out. Or when Aladine arrives.”

Under their watchful eyes, he walks away. 

“Did Ace just say no to food?” Thatch hisses, a little too loud but Ace ignores it in favour of settling down by a sunny spot on the deck. 

Izo is similarly unnerved. “Once Marco is out, let’s ask him to give him a checkup…”

In a normal day, Ace would be yelling, chasing them in all sorts of offended (and maybe carrying a pie to smash their faces in,) but not today. 

Today, he finds himself a quiet spot, and pretends to sleep.

When he wakes up, things will be better.

-

“Well, the code’s pretty simple. A rotten apple spoils the bunch-- our contact is insinuating that you’ve got a traitor in your midst.”

Of all the things they expected to hear from the Revolutionary once they were in private, it was not this. 

So when Marco lunged over the table to grab him by the cravat, the Revolutionary held up his hands in surrender, not defending himself, but not pleading mercy either.

“Marco,” Whitebeard reminds him-- and Marco begrudgingly lets go with an irritated huff. 

The Revolutionary fixes his collar, unfazed. 

“I do not appreciate this insult to my family,” Whitebeard says. “But if this is truly my daughter’s claim… I wish to understand why she chose to have an outsider send the message to the Revolutionaries as well.”

Marco’s glare was perpetual at this point.

Because that still didn’t make sense. Of course they would trust Nami. But why didn’t Nami just tell them personally? Even if her Den Den Mushi couldn’t reach the far distance, she had plenty of time to make her way out to the New World. 

“The Girl with a Metal Arm, Burglar Cat Nami,” the Revolutionary says. “I believe she has joined hands with the Man Demon Gin and Pirate Hunter Zoro to form a crew of her own. They now sail under the name of the Straw Hat pirates.”

Their eyes widened.

_(“I have a seat saved for me, by the side of the future Pirate King.”)_

Come to think of it, that was always her dream, wasn’t it? So she’s found him after all… that Straw Hat imagery sure does bring up some old memories. But is that it? Because of that, she stayed in Paradise and risked such dire information in the hands of a complete outsider?

No, she isn't such an ice-hearted person. She wore the mark, after all. She swore by it and smiled by it, toasting to an oath for life. She wouldn't do something so irresponsible. 

Ah… that’s why she sent _two_ messengers. 

It’s a long winded message-- one to ensure it is trustworthy information, and the other to indicate the urgency and the scale of damage if left unchecked. 

It’s not because she no longer wanted to involve herself in the matters of the Whitebeards-- it’s the opposite-- it’s precisely _because_ she trusted them enough, that she could be assured to stay in Paradise and let her big brothers deal with the problem.

Now he understood. 

(Something still doesn’t line up, though. Like why would the Chief of Staff show up for such a matter? They could have sent anyone.)

“A traitor, huh… it’s hard to take in,” Whitebeard sighs, the disappointment showing in the sag of his shoulders. “Any clues on that?”

The Revolutionary shakes his head. That was probably what Aladine was going to tell them. “But we were told to send someone reliable as the messenger, so I came here.” 

They frown at that.

Whitebeard sighs. 

“Sometimes, I wonder why my daughter has to be such a crafty little lady,” he says, in the tone of an old man worrying as his child goes into their rebellious stage. "I never understand much of what she does.”

Marco and the Revolutionary share a tired chuckle.

“Maybe you should ask her when you meet her again," the Revolutionary suggests. "I really want to find that agent of mine and slap him a couple times in the face too. I've got no idea what he's planning, interacting so closely with pirates."

“Heh, you guys have your share of problems too, huh," Marco sighs. "Come to think of it, why the 'Straw Hat' pirates? Nami didn't have something like that."

The Revolutionary's shoulders sagged completely at this point. "You won't believe it, really," he says, like he's in for a world of paperwork once he gets back. "I mean, you'll get this information when the newspapers come by today, but this random kid in a Straw Hat just goes up to the execution platform in Loguetown and..." 

For some reason, they were chatting like tired old friends now that they got their tense talk out of the way.

Well, until Aladine comes by with the other half of the information, there was nothing really they could do. So Marco decides to indulge in it, if only because he empathizes with having to deal with idiotic youngsters causing lots of trouble for everyone. 


	26. uninteresting events (yeah no, what the fuck)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ace realizes he isn't hallucinating, so he does the very logical thing and initiates murder. Meanwhile, Usopp is being a cryptid asshole, so Gin initiates mutiny, to Luffy's vehement protests. 
> 
> All in all, a normal day in the Grand Line. Nothing out of the ordinary, as you can see.

Ace actually  _ does  _ fall asleep, which is surprising to him. Someone wakes him up, because it’s almost time for lunch, and Ace is actually quite surprised by how well-rested he feels. He hasn’t had such a good nap in a while.

Now he’s in a great mood. 

So he stands up, eager to get some food (he skipped breakfast. He’s famished,) from the galley when he realizes Marco is frowning down at him.

“Izo and Thatch told me you were acting weird.”

_ (Huh? Didn’t Ace ask to be woken up when Marco was out of his meeting so he could get the Commander update of whatever went down? Or was that part of his dream as well? Whatever then.) _

“Well you see, Marco,” he starts spinning the tale, “I just had this really weird dream, and it’s been making me lose sleep all the time. In it, your hair is a literal pineapple, and Thatch’s head is literally bread, and ouch OUCH THAT REALLY HURTS I’M SORRY PLEASE STOP”

Marco releases him from the noogie of doom, pinning him with a glare that promised a real skull-drilling if he continued being obnoxious. 

And Ace has to admit, big brothers are kinda very scary sometimes. Makes sense why Luffy would listen to him. 

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Except I’m hungry enough to eat the ship,” Ace dismisses again, because if there’s something he doesn’t fear, it is death, “see ya in the galley, bye.”

And he phases away in a wisp of flames, to Marco’s indignant squawk of “hey ACE! This conversation isn’t over!”

Ace opens the galley door and declares, “Thatch, got any food left for me?” while pretending that Marco isn’t already right behind him with eyes that promised murder. 

“Oh, Ace! You’re finally awake?” Thatch looks over in the midst of tossing fried rice in a large wok. “Geez Marco, warn me! I’ll make something, so just sit there.”

“Yay! Thanks, Thatch!”

“I did warn you. You just didn’t hear me.”

They settle at the table, where a few of the other night shift takers and infirmary staff are having brunch. The only team on the ship that doesn’t seem to ever get breaks seem to be the cooks… but anyways.

“Anyways Ace, you didn’t wake up so here’s the update on the situation,” Marco says, deciding he would drag the teen to the infirmary for a checkup on his narcolepsy episode, but only after the meal.

“About what?”

“We’ve got a guest on board. All commanders on standby until Aladine shows up tomorrow,” Marco says, ignoring the question on the assumption that Ace’s brain will catch up to his mouth. He keeps the next order short and simple and very stern-- “Do not engage, he’s trustworthy. Nami sent him.” 

Ace squints. “So we’ve got an intruder?”

(His brain did not catch up with his mouth. In fact, his ears are apparently offline too. )

“You didn’t listen to  _ anything _ I just said.”

“Yeah I didn’t, I’m too hungry I can’t hear you.”

“That is not a mutually exclusive sense-- Thatch, don’t spoil him!” Marco snaps when Thatch gleefully sets down two large plates of spaghetti, effectively interrupting the conversation and turning all Ace’s concentration out the window.

Thatch, because he’s such a nice brother, sets down another plate of food for Marco, humming to himself as if he can’t hear a thing.  _ Seriously, are they both doing this on purpose to drive Marco out of his mind? _

“Thanks for the food!”

“Ace, LISTEN TO ME!”

Marco groans. Why does he have to suffer like this? 

He does relent, however, and turns to his meal. He was planning on spending the rest of his afternoon doing paperwork, so an early lunch would do him some good anyways.

As long as everyone else behaves, it should be peaceful until Aladine arrives. 

-

Marco spoke (thought?) too soon.

Because almost immediately after they were done with their meal, the Revolutionary walks into the galley with Izo, who was in charge of guiding him around. 

(He has a guide, because they weren’t going to leave a guest unsupervised, after all.)

And that’s when Ace dramatically chokes on his food and proceeds to scare the living daylights out of everyone by almost dying.

He recovers, though, (probably because he’s a fire Logia,) and he points at the Revolutionary, who confusedly points back at himself, waiting for Ace to say something.

Ace, as much of a fluster as he’s in, struggles. 

“Wha-- I- Wait. You-- Ma- M- Are you--” he struggles _ very hard _ , looking everywhere like he deserves an explanation for this bullshit. Eventually he yells something wordless in an attempt to release his frustrations.

The Revolutionary provides a very unimpressed look. 

“Please,” he says, gesturing in a very sarcastic and pompous manner just to be a dick, “take your time.”

Marco stifles a laugh. Izo shrugs with a contented sigh. 

Then in an attempt to avoid conflict, Marco reminds Ace loudly, “that’s our ship guest. From the Revolutionary Army, if you forgot. He’s not an enemy so get along now.” 

Ace looks away. Then he stares at the Revolutionary again.

“Oh fuck Marco,” Ace says, ignoring the distant Haruta who chirps up with _ ‘go ahead we’re waiting’ _ , and Thatch that pipes up with  _ ‘not in the galley you aren’t’, _ to which Marco insists it is _ ‘metaphorically you sick fucks’, _ Ace rubs his eyes, “I think I _ do _ need that checkup. I’m still hallucinating.”

“I am very glad you are volunteering, Ace, that is almost so unheard of I already know you’ve gone crazy,” Marco says, sipping on his coffee just as Thatch drops it before him. “But if you’re hallucinating, please-- do tell me what you see. Haruta is  _ very _ interested in getting blackmail material.”

Haruta has already moved closer, almost right beside them at this point. His eyes are glinting with the inspiration of a new hot piece of news to scream and spread to the entirety of every ship in their alliance. 

The Revolutionary just stands there, looking very uncomfortable with the situation. 

Izo, deciding this was entertaining, just chuckles as he brings around a cup of tea for himself and their guest. 

Ace starts, almost too seriously. 

Without even looking up at the Revolutionary another time, even-- “I’m seeing an idiot dressed like a noble in this godforsaken heat. Stupid tail coat looking thing. And he’s got a top hat. There are goggles on it because his fashion sense is fucking terrible.”

“Excuse you?! You have emoticon badges on  _ your _ hat!” the Revolutionary retorts, very offended. “And at least I  _ wear _ clothes!”

“And he’s got a pipe on his back,” Ace adds smoothly, because pretending not to hear is clearly the running gag of today with the Whitebeard Pirates. “Don’t laugh, but this noble-looking guy in a cravat and gloves uses a pipe as a weapon.”

“Is he picking a fight?” Sabo asks Izo, exasperated at this point. His free hand feels incredibly testy, itching very close to his pipe. “Can I take it?”

The roaring laughter in the galley is answer enough. 

Sabo almost empathizes with his friends back in the Revolutionary that has to put up with his own shit every day. He’s going to treat them to a meal when he gets back.

“Well unfortunately, Ace,” Marco tiredly gives his diagnosis, “we’re all seeing the same thing. And he’s taller than you.”

Ace’s jaw drops. “So I  _ am _ seeing Sabo on the Moby Dick?”

Marco sighs, “yes, you are--” he freezes, lifting his head. 

At the same time, Sabo’s hand stiffens around the teacup. The air immediately goes cold in the galley as the words sink in-- and even Izo has his eyes widened in surprise.

Ace doesn’t seem to realize what he’d done just yet, so he just stares blankly, still trying to figure out if this is a trick of the light, a devil fruit, or another quirk of the Grand Line. 

“Hold on, Ace--” Izo speaks first, trying to speak some sense into this still not-so-lucid brother of theirs. “--how did you know his name?”

As confidential as revolutionary activities are, his identity was to be kept quiet unless necessary. All they had to know was that he was a representative, after all. The only people that Sabo had properly introduced himself to are Pops and Marco-- and Izo, who asked after building up a short friendship as guide and guest. 

Ace blinks.

“Because he’s the spirit of my dead brother that I’m hallucinating?” he says, like it’s obvious. He doesn't notice everyone's gobsmacked expressions, he just leans in to observe Sabo closely. “He died seven years ago and we never found his body. First time he’s shown up as an adult though. And the scar is new.”

He looks around, finally realizing that they’re all staring at him, stunned.

“What?” he has the oblivious gall to ask.

Marco raises a hand, “Ace,” he says, very _ very _ patiently, “that is not a hallucination,” he explains, slowly. “It is an actual human being.”

Ace takes a moment for that to sink in.

Then Sabo, looking very pale, nods. “Uhm,” he says, “yeah, I am a real person.” Then he sets his hand on Ace’s shoulder, just to prove that he’s a physical figure and he can use Haki, because he’s touching Ace without phasing through the flames.

Ace’s jaw drops.

“Huh?” he yells, looking at Marco. “Wait, what the hell does this mean?”

-

They sit down, Ace opposite of Sabo-- and every other commander flanking their situation in complete awe. Mainly because they have no idea what was going on here and Ace acting like he was a civil human being by sitting down and having a serious conversation was a thing you only see once in a blue moon. 

“Alright, so you’re an amnesiac.”

“This is far more than our protocols allow me to reveal, but yes, I am.” 

“And you were recruited in East Blue.”

“Yes, that is what I said.”

“Goa Kingdom?”

“I believe it was around that area, yes.”

Marco was going to give Sabo a checkup if he had to-- amnesia was always one of the most delicate of medical conditions, after all. It interested him, as far as a doctor's instinct went. Now if only this guy was a crew member instead of a guest he wasn’t supposed to touch… 

"So, what's the conclusion, Ace?" Marco prompts, because they were questioning him just to get things straight, after all. 

Just making sure if Ace needed a counselling session about grief and mourning, too. 

He hadn’t told anyone about hallucinations before-- granted, he had a right to his own past, but still, if this temper-ridden brother of theirs had mental difficulties, they would have helped. 

Everyone had occasional counselling sessions for various trauma on this ship, and Ace definitely needed some. 

(Come to think of it, he could ask Deuce. He probably has old medical records.)

"Well, the story lines up," Ace says, looking a little conflicted. "There's a very high chance you  _ are  _ the Sabo I know." 

Sabo shrugs at that. 

_ He  _ wouldn't know for sure, after all. And even if he did, it would be awkward to suddenly try and restimulate their old relationship while he doesn't remember a thing. 

(Brothers, he called it? But there's no way a D would be a noble. Maybe Sabo just looked uncannily similar in appearance and personality and that was it. Things like these do happen in the world sometimes, it's not impossible.)

((Somewhere, Tashigi sneezes.))

Ace had a very important question, though.

“First of all,” he says, raising a finger, “ _ what _ was Dragon doing there?”

Sabo blinks. “That’s classified information, but I believe we recruited a lot of members around the same time,” he says. “I wouldn’t know, since it’s before I joined.”

Ace purses his lips. 

“I'm gonna guess they found your name written on your belongings,” he says. “And they were clothing that looked like noble clothing, which is why you still retained your clusterfuck fashion sense from then.”

“I’m starting to think you’re deliberately issuing a declaration of war, but I will give you the benefit of doubt,” Sabo says, his calmness finally showing a tear of irritation. 

Ace nods, like an obnoxious piece of shit. 

“And what about the hat?” he asks. “It’s really weird you have the same hat.”

Sabo had to think about that. “Well, someone just gave it to me one day. They mentioned I had something like it before that they couldn’t retrieve… The goggles were just an impulsive addition one day. Is this interrogation over yet?”

Ace squints at the vague answer. But whatever, that’s enough. “So you don’t remember anything about your life before then?” he asks.

Sabo nods in annoyance. It’s the third time he’s asked and answered this specific question. “Nothing except for the fact that I did not want to go back ever again.”

Ace nods sagely. “Yeah, that place was a shithole, so that makes sense,” he acknowledges. "Speaking of which. Can I borrow your pipe?"

Sabo backs away, a little put off. "The pipe? Unfortunately, it is important to me, so I’m not comfortable with someone else holding it," he admits, in an almost admirably polite manner. 

“Understandable,” Ace hums. He reaches over and grabs one of the practice bo staves that Haruta carries around but never uses. "This will do, then. I'll borrow this for a second."

Haruta doesn’t really get a chance to say no, unlike Sabo. "Ah yeah. Sure? What are you using it for?"

Instead of answering, Ace stands up.  He rolls his shoulders and cracks a few knuckles.

"Nothing much, it's been a while since I used a weapon of any sort, so I'm a bit out of practice."

Then, he  _ swings _ straight down toward Sabo's head, without any warning.

The Revolutionary dodges, but the weapon shatters the table right into the floor, splintering the wood into innumerable pieces. 

The Whitebeard Commanders’ response is immediate. 

"Hey! Ace, dammit! I said he's a guest!"

"Someone stop Ace!"

“Ace, you know your division is paying for the table, right?”

"The table! Are you trying to kill him, Ace?!"

Ace tuts. "Don't dodge!" He yells, like the guy was obviously supposed to stay there and get brain damage. "You're an amnesiac, so one good hit on the head should make you remember everything! Be a man and take it!"

"That is NOT how it works!" Marco and Sabo yell synchronously, shark-teethed in sheer exasperation. 

"Restrain him! He's an idiot!"

"Why did you give him the weapon, Haruta?!"

"I underestimated his stupidity! I regret it now I promise!"

"Ace! Stop trying to kill the guest! ACE!"

Whitebeard and Whitey Bay walk into the galley, greeted by a situation that could only be described as utter chaos. Ace is blindly swinging a bo staff in the general direction of their guest. Rakuyo and Vista are holding him back, while Haruta frantically tries to retrieve the staff without getting hit. He isn’t succeeding.

Marco looks like he’s experiencing an aneurysm, and Thatch is mourning over the broken furniture with Jozu. Izo is standing beside the Revolutionary in a placating manner, and Sabo had his own pipe held before him, preparing to fight.

“I want some sake with my meal today,” Whitebeard says, casually making his way toward the largest table.

Whitey simply nods. “Yeah, I’d like some too.” 

-

* * *

-

Even for Zoro, watching Nami get her arm replaced was difficult. 

It was like being made to sit there and see someone plunge a knife into her stomach, slowly gouging out her organs as she tries her best not to scream.

If he was a lesser man, he’d turn away, nauseated. 

But Zoro looks on, eyes hardened and taking in every detail he could, listening closely as Crocus told him the little things about it. 

Nami lay on the bed, resting on her stomach without her shirt on. 

“It’s important she doesn’t move when I do this part, so strap her down if you need to,” he says, and that unsettling calmness in his voice really made Zoro think again on the mental strength required for a doctor. “Do it in one quick move. Double back and it might loosen in the long run.”

Even Zoro had to flinch when Nami whimpered, biting harshly into the base of her thumb to stifle her own voice. Crocus had wrenched a particularly tight screw in the center of her shoulder blade, and it was obviously the worst bit of the whole process.

And just like that-- it was over.

She takes a deep breath, and it’s the most exhausted Zoro has ever seen her. No-- exhausted wouldn’t be the accurate term. Exerted, perhaps.

She took a long breath-- and held it for five seconds, before letting it out. She opens her eyes slowly, raising her metal arm again, curling and uncurling the fingers carefully. 

“All good?” Crocus asks. 

Nami rolls her shoulder, making a noise akin to a stretching cat in daylight. She sighs contentedly, getting up (making sure the blanket covers her chest,) and she pulls her feet over the edge of the bed so they would rest on the floor. 

“Man, these Heat models are so heavy!” she says. They were made to be much more durable, after all. “But yes, it’s perfect as always. You always know just how to perfectly screw them, don’t ya?”

(She gives Zoro a smile. He immediately catches the combined look to her top, and he turns away so Nami could get her shirt on again.)

(Oh, Sanji can _ not _ know of this.)

“I’ve had a ton of years more experience than any other doctor out there, of course I do,” Crocus says, almost offended. He then turns to Zoro, “it’s delicate, don’t break the arm trying to fit a screw in, got it?”

Zoro is not confident he can do that. Why didn’t Nami just ask Usopp instead-- oh.

Zoro doesn’t really get why he has to be the one in charge of this. In the trust scale, Nami definitely has Usopp in first place. Of course, Luffy is up there too, but not for things like these. So if Usopp is out because of his blindness, Zoro doesn’t get why Nami asks him instead of Sanji or Gin. 

Sure, one of them is a womanizer and the other was a… alright nevermind about that. But either of them would definitely be more delicate with something as important as a girl’s arm. 

(In hindsight, maybe it’s exactly because they would be more careful with it.) 

(Nami doesn’t want them to hesitate, not even for a second. She wasn’t that weak-- and Zoro definitely can see that. And she needed someone like that around.)

Nami had entrusted him with the role of keeping her in action. Without her arm, she couldn’t do a thing-- and here she was, entrusting Zoro with the most important part of her physical being.

It’s just like stepping onto this ship and having Luffy call you one of his-- here was a comrade, declaring her wholehearted, selfless trust in  _ him _ . 

Zoro understood how important it was. 

“It’s better to do both prosthetics at once, just to get it over with,” Crocus wipes away the sweat at his brows, crouching down to Nami’s feet and raising her metal foot onto a stool. “But if you do it one after the other… well, it turns into psychological warfare.”

“Wait wait wait Crocus,” Nami says, her voice sounding strained, tired, and her smile an incredible effort forced out of her features. She was clutching a pillow to her chest with her flesh hand, so tightly the fingers were going white, “please give me a five minute’s break. Or three. Two will be fine please just give me a  _ second _ .”

Crocus gestures at her complaining spiel, as if proving his point on the situation. 

Zoro has never seen Nami like this. It’s very refreshing to know that Nami  _ is _ , dare he say, actually  _ scared _ of something. 

Then Crocus flexes his hands. “Okay your second is up. Time for your foot.”

“No please just WAIT.”

“The foot is a lot more delicate, since it starts at the ankle,” Crocus starts explaining, like Nami isn’t freaking out at the moment. “You start here when you detach it…”

Zoro suddenly realizes the startlingly obvious reason why Nami didn’t ask Sanji to do this for her. 

-

“Sure, they can come with,” Luffy says, to the utter despair of Gin.

After an intense session of begging to be taken along for the ride, Miss Wednesday and Mister Nine were allowed to board the Going Merry until Whiskey Peak.

“You cannot be serious, Luffy,” Gin says, exasperated. “They’re obviously plotting something.” 

He pointedly does not mention how Usopp had already told him their next destination would be Whiskey Peak regardless, as per Nami’s orders. 

He just doesn't like the idea of intruders coming onboard, free for all. He knows this next part is the hardest part of the beginning-- the adaptation-- so he wants as little interference as possible, especially not from people they can’t trust.

“It’s along the way, right? Same thing,” Luffy says. “And Nami  _ did _ steal their stuff.”

Gin scoffs at the two agents. “It’s your own fault if you get stolen from.”

“Ah, you’re right,” Luffy acknowledges. He’s got bandit in his upbringing, after all, he definitely knows the law of dog eat dog out here. 

“Plus, they’re not even telling us where the hell they’re from,” Gin says. They had vehemently insisted that their organisation was  _ mystery coded _ , “what if they’re leading us back to their base of operations?”

No one misses the way they both stiffen up in panic. 

“Isn’t it fine, we can come back around if we don’t like the way,” Luffy says. He then makes a very great point, that “it’s better than leaving them here with Whale, too.” 

(Ah, that’s right-- they’re trying to kill the whale, aren’t they? That throws a wrench into everything.)

Sanji doesn’t really care about that though. “Well, I don’t mind bringing Dear Miss Wednesday with us. The male species with you can find some other way around.” 

“Please bring me along too! I beg you!” 

“If leaving them with the whale is a problem, can’t we just drown them right now?” Gin suggests, entirely serious in his decision to find the simplest solution to this problem.  _ Heck, it doesn’t even need to be so complicated-- why was this taking so long? _ “I’ll go get my tonfas. I haven’t used them in a while.”

Panicked screaming ensues. 

Finally tired by the endless debating, Usopp sighs. “What will happen if we leave you here?” he asks, directing his question toward the two agents. “Back to the top with you-- why are you so desperate to get out of here?”

He isn’t particularly asking that because he wants to know, of course.

Evidently, it’s because they want to get their mission done and go report back to their boss immediately. They’d be deemed failures and executed if things stayed as they are, so they need to hurry, and get a letter out to the Boss and make up for their mistake somehow.

(To put it simply-- they just fear for their lives.)

“That explosion just now-- hmm,” Usopp leans into Kinoko for a second, and the bird coos in response. A little behaviour reading can go a long way with a bird you’ve known all her life, so he gathers that, “two predators? One of them is a big bird. You acted like you knew them, so it was an expected attack.”

They stiffen. 

They had been far enough that the Strawhats didn’t see them when the Unluckies blew them up-- but Kinoko had definitely reported back on the situation. 

“I knew that bird was spying on us!” Miss Wednesday hisses sharply to Mister Nine. 

“Y-y-y- You can speak bird?!”

Usopp doesn’t answer that question. “I’m thinking you had a mission to do. Kill the whale, probably.” 

It’s an obvious conclusion from everything so far. But to the two agents who had no idea they weren’t being subtle, it was a jaw-dropping moment of shock.

“And you failed,” another obvious conclusion that earns him a gasp, “so your oh-so mysterious organisation sent some cleanup crew to check if you’ve done the deed. But you haven’t, hence they tried to kill you. They might try again, so you want us to give you a ride, so you can get away from here.”

Simultaneously, Sanji and Luffy gawk in disgusted realization. 

Like ‘how could you?’ but in more dramatically betrayed sentiments than anything actually serious.

“You guys got blown up by a bird?” Luffy offers his very important opinion, and that’s simply, “are you guys idiots?”

Kinoko gives him a very pointed look. She does not remind him of the many times Luffy has lost a random duel against her. She is not that petty, after all. Definitely not.

(The next moment brings them to the other corner of the cape, where Luffy yells loudly at the bird, who squawks back passionately in response. They race to the top of Laboon and down, but can’t decide on who won. Laboon says something, but in the unintelligible language of old island whales that none of them can quite decipher.)

Sanji pulls off a very unimpressed, disappointed look at the two agents. “What’s with the ‘our organisation’s motto is mystery’ thing, you’re both gonna get killed by that very same organisation, you shithead,” he hisses at Mister Nine, quickly changing gears to clarify that “of course you’re fine, Miss Wednesday, I didn’t mean you.”

“Wha-- don’t insult us!” Mister Nine snaps. “The Unluckies didn’t finish the job-- we were spared! That means we’re getting a second chance, we can’t fail to lead you guys to our base now--” his voice dies out and Miss Wednesday shrieks.

“Mister Nine, SHUSH!” but it was too late. 

“Oh, so it  _ was  _ a trap,” Luffy pouts, disappointed. He’s covered in wounds now, and Kinoko is angrily lying in a defeated pile somewhere further out (Usopp looks over, briefly wondering if he’ll need to get a new seeing eye bird.) He dusts his pants, humming sagely as he decides, “guess we actually have to kill them now.”

He’s probably not serious. Like, maybe only eighty percent serious, because Gin really wants to kill them and Luffy’s starting to get influenced. 

Terrified shrieking ensues once again. 

It’s an endless loop at this point. 

“Well, jokes aside,” Usopp says, using his walking stick to hold back Gin from approaching with his tonfas, “let’s listen to Nami’s opinions on it before deciding for real, alright? Until then, let’s have some tea. I’ll tell a story.”

The general reaction is a dumbfounded: “What.”

-

Sanji does in fact get the water boiling for tea, because Nami and Zoro show no signs of emerging from the lighthouse yet. They can’t set sail for another while. 

Luffy spins back onto his seat, happily awaiting the story. “Usopp’s stories are interesting, you know!” he promised, like that’s something the agents would want to know.

In fact, they’re still seated on the floor, mutedly awaiting their impending doom. 

“Seriously?” Gin deflates, upset that he isn’t allowed to murder a human right now. He folds his tonfas back to his side and begrudgingly settles down opposite of the captain.

Sanji groans, running a hand through his hair. “You guys better decide if you wanna come clean. Honestly might just win you points, since our captain is stupid like that,” he bargains. 

Then he sets tea on the table, of course serving one to Miss Wednesday as well. 

Usopp had retrieved Kinoko in the time it took to brew the tea. He’s glad the bird isn’t dead-- she’s having her post-defeat depression at the moment, so Usopp is giving her some time. Seriously, what the hell with her. 

Regardless, he lets Kinoko have his tea while he closes his eyes to begin talking.

(It’s not like it makes a difference vision wise, but after losing his sight, it’s become easier to gauge human reactions this way.)

“Well, have I told you about the time I infiltrated a mysterious organisation to save my country of followers?” he starts.

He smiles a little when Miss Wednesday’s voice spikes in alarm.

“Well, I was working my way up the enemy ranks little by little-- for uh, ten years, I was playing the long con!” he chuckles at that. “Man, espionage is pretty hard, right?”

“Ain’t that right up your alley, though?” Sanji says. “You suck at it, but it’s what you do best. Sneaking in and telling lies to get places.”

“You could phrase it nicer, Sanji.”

“Really?” Gin doubts, “sounds more like Nami’s thing to me.”

Usopp simply smiles and continues. “Then a little birdie told me-- yes, like you, Kinoko,” he scratches the bird under her wing nonchalantly, “I realized they _ already _ know I’m a spy, so what I was planning to do next just leads me straight back into a trap!”

The way he dramatized the story was amusing to Mister Nine-- but Miss Wednesday only paled further as the words trailed on.

Her eyes were wide, and her posture had frozen up.  Is it a coincidence? Evidently not. Even she wasn’t that stupid-- this man was telling them, right now-- this man was telling them  _ her _ story, like it was nothing.

She didn’t want to know what it meant.

Instead, she realized that the future of that story-- dramatization and clear exaggerated heroics aside-- was probably going to come true. 

“I followed them anyway, pretending I didn’t know they knew! A little mishap like that doesn’t make the Great Usopp falter, after all!” he says, smug. “Then when I finally got close to the boss, I tore out the ropes bonding my arms, and defeated him in one punch! Then I cleared out every other ambusher, of course!”

Luffy awes at it, eyes sparkling-- but Sanji and Gin just scoff, the latter leaning his chin into his palm in an exasperated manner.

“If you could defeat them all so easily to begin with, why did you even need to infiltrate their base?” Gin mutters

Usopp yelps, because you're not supposed to point out plot holes in Usopp’s stories.

Sanji doesn’t get the drift though, he adds on. “And was there ever a need to play a long con if getting found out made everything easier for you?”

Usopp wilts, “just enjoy the story, dammit!”

“But it’s so cool! Then you saved all your followers and had a big party, right?” Luffy cheers. For a guy that hated heroes, he sure liked a good hero story. And banquets-- banquets were key ingredients for making Luffy happy. 

Telling stories was always fun because there was a Luffy around to fall for it. And Chopper, of course. “Of course I did!” Usopp boasts.

Mister Nine sighs disinterestedly at them. “Are they changing the subject to ignore us? What do we do, Miss Wednesday?” he asks, crestfallen.  _ They might fail their mission now, and they were really going to get it this time…  _

But his partner gives no response. 

“Miss Wednesday?”

She had bitten her lips, looking down in something short of anger. Of pure fear-- and sheer disbelief. 

“Right, right,” Sanji refills the cup of tea, scowling at the way Kinoko burps after drinking it all again. He’s had his fill of cryptid shitheads for today, so he’s not in the mood to tolerate one more. “We get it, Usopp. What was the moral of the story?”

(Because, just like the story that he’d told in the Baratie-- there was definitely an underlying point to the story. That was just how Usopp said things, like a quirk of his own that they always had to work around. )

Usopp takes a moment to appreciate the way they all turn to him in full understanding. Luffy loved the stories, Gin permitted them, and Sanji entertained them.  But at the end of the day-- they understood that he only turned to this format of conversation when he had something he wanted to say but couldn’t concretely prove. 

Yet, they waited patiently, never doubting the information he could weave together. So even if he didn’t have any proof, they could find some later.

(It made it easier for him, because they could go on without worrying about needing to explain the time travel nonsense.)

Usopp turns toward Miss Wednesday with a sad smile.

“The point is, you two aren’t leading us back to be captured,” he says. Mister Nine tries to protest, but Miss Wednesday stops him with a raise of her hand. Her expressions darken. “I actually think the opposite.”

_ (She had a bad feeling, after all. The Unluckies didn’t have a reason to spare them or give them a second chance to do anything.) _

_ (They must have retreated on the Boss’ orders, because they weren’t just ‘executing agents that failed their mission’ anymore-- their job was being handed off to another party that could better handle the threat.) _

_ (Their target had been changed, and it was on high urgency. So higher level agents must have been deployed to take over.) _

“Well, to say this frankly--” Usopp tells her, and all her nightmares immediately come true. “--your position has most probably been compromised up the chain of command, Princess Vivi.”

-

Usopp will admit, he didn’t know what to expect after he said that. 

Will Vivi scream? Deny it? Jump off and swim away in a panic?

So take him by sheer surprise-- when she chucks a Peacock Slasher at him, scraping his cheek just barely enough to not draw blood. He does feel the burn against his skin, though-- and Gin is already standing. Luffy’s aura spikes in hostility, and if it hadn't been a woman that struck, Sanji would have kicked their teeth out.

Usopp traces the trajectory of the weapon-- and grabs it out of the air by the string. 

Miss Wedneday’s too surprised at the moment to let go, so Usopp tugs it forward, wrapping it around his fist so she couldn’t back away without releasing them.

Usopp then raises a hand before Sanji, just in case. The chef glares, but holds on at the understanding that Usopp probably has things handled. Luffy is already standing up and facing them apprehensively-- so if anyone was going to strike first, it would be Luffy.

Gin is different, however. 

Mister Nine attempts to, in his confusion, aid his partner-- but the Man-Demon appears behind him, planting a firm foot on his shoulder. The sheen of a weighted metal ball rests on his head-- and he knows that only mercy allowed him to keep his head. 

There was no vocal threat needed. The sheer silence of that action was enough to scare him wisely into a state of obedience. 

“Attacking me won’t do you any good, you know?” Usopp says.

“Y- You fiend!” she snaps, her tone finally approaching the more proper speech that was out of character for her Wednesday character. “How did you know? How long have they found out? Are you one of them too?!”

“I’m offended you think so,” Usopp blanches, and with a sharp flick of his wrist, he detaches the Peacock Slasher from her elbow, and she shoots back. He then proceeds to untangle it from his hand, “well, call it a hunch. But I’m quite sure, in your perspective, it’s not all that impossible at this point, right?”

Miss Wednesday bites her lip. 

If her position was really compromised, then he’s right, no matter what side he’s on. They’ve been seeing this coming ever since they found out Mister Zero’s identity, after all. Miss All-Sunday’s actions as they were, it really was only a matter of time. 

“Uhm… what’s going on?” Mister Nine asks.

Sanji takes a drag of his cigarette, his foot still planted on the man’s shoulder. “Yeah, we have no idea. Share with the class, Usopp?” 

“I don’t get it either,” Gin says. “If we aren’t concluding this damn situation in the next damn minute I might just kill you myself, Usopp. Then I’ll kill these two.”

“Okay, Gin. But let the poor man go before he wets himself, alright?”

“I’m sorry, I think I already did.”

“Hey, no killing my sniper, Gin!” Luffy protests. 

“I will not let you kill me either!” Vivi raises her voice. “Change of plans. I’m sorry for lying to you this whole time, Mister Nine, but I…”

“Well, if it’s story time, can we have some tea again, Sanji?”

“Enough with the tea already! I’m sick of this roundabout bullshit!” 

And that’s the scene Zoro, Nami, and Crocus walk out of the lighthouse to see. Gin and Sanji are apparently fighting over who gets to strangle Usopp, Luffy is protesting because ‘no killing my sniper! Guys, no killing each other!’ or something.

Meanwhile, Miss Wednesday is telling a solemn story to Mister Nine, and Mister Nine’s expressions are shell-shock horror before he proceeds to bury his head on the ground in worship. 

“You’re a _princess,_ Miss Wednesday?!” is heard among the noise, and they have no idea what's happening, and Zoro isn't sure if he wants to know.

A bloated-looking Kinoko flies over, having had her fill of tea. She lands in Zoro’s hand as the swordsman raises his palm to receive her. Then she immediately starts snoring-- and Zoro resists the urge to hurl it to the ground.

“I’m gonna go take a nap,” Zoro says, casually making his way toward Merry with the bird still in his hand. 

Nami just nods. “Yeah, have a good one.” 

Crocus pinches the bridge of his nose in resigned silence. 


	27. promising pawns and teachers of trust.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "This is taking too long, let's just go," Nami urges them. "We've spent way too many chapters on the Twin Capes now. It's gonna get boring, y'know! People are going to stop reading!"
> 
> Usopp's new handicaps give them new problems in storms, but they make up for it with extra manpower. Gin struggles to separate from his stigma as a member of the Don's crew-- but he's essential, and that won't change. 
> 
> Vivi realizes that she isn't alone. Nami takes a moment to realize that again, for herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on a roll! might as well make the most of the inspiration spree. Lots of love to every single one of you that reads this! I'm sorry I can't always find time to reply to you guys, but just know I read every review twice or thrice while tearfully cradling my phone to my face like an idiot because I love you guys so much.
> 
> Enjoy!

“Anyways, I’m just saying, but you could really hire us to help save your country,” Usopp suggests, to the loud protests of his crewmates. “It’ll be en route if we head down Whiskey Peak, and Luffy needs a bounty anyways.”

To say Miss Wednesday is shocked by this would be an understatement. Yes,  _ she _ and Mister Nine are the ones that begged to come on-- but that’s exactly why it’s so incredulous to suddenly have them readily agree now. 

“Bounty? Ah, right, yes!” Luffy agrees, “I want to get a bounty! The Marines are being idiots so I don’t have one yet!”

“Wait, Luffy, this is too suspicious!” Gin immediately shows his dissent. “This has nothing to do with us! We don’t have to involve ourselves! Say something, Sanji!”

Sanji hums, taking only a moment to decide that, “well, I don’t know what’s going on yet,” what else is new seriously, “but I can’t ignore a lady in need.”

“Sanji!” Gin and Luffy exclaim, in despair and joy respectively. 

“No no no!” Miss Wednesday quickly denies in a panic, “you don’t know who you’re up against! The boss is a terrifying man. Even if you are some abnormally Good Samaritans, I cannot subject you to this battle I have to face!”

“Wait, you know the Boss’ identity already, Your Highness Lady Miss Wednesday?!”

“Mister Nine, do  _ not _ call me that! It’s embarrassing!” she snaps, blushing as she turns away. 

And so begins another spiel about why this isn’t a good idea, except they’re going around like a bunch of old aunties trying to refuse money repayment from each other. It’s honestly getting annoying. 

_ (Can they go already? We all know where this is going to end up.) _

_ - _

Crocus, deciding his job here is done, returns to his lighthouse. He has a newspaper to read. Meanwhile, Nami decides to finally approach the group. 

“Hey, Usopp,” Nami greets him, ominously cheerful. 

Usopp doesn’t get a greeting out before he’s unceremoniously bashed in the head by a haki-inforced Clima Tact. She actually lands the hit, so he  _ swears _ his skull is shattered. 

“What was that for?!” he whines, tears in his eyes.

“Uh yeah, I was expecting you to dodge it, my bad,” Nami says, but she isn’t beyond threatening another punch with her new, heavier metal arm. “What are you doing? You’re overcomplicating things, you idiot!”

“Says you and then goes to make an alliance with the Whitebeards.”

“That is  _ besides _ the point!”

Usopp looks away, because it is what it is and even if she doesn’t like it, she’s gotta deal with it. As a Strawhat, she should have plenty of experience with annoying situations, after all. Usopp regrets nothing. 

-

“Anyways, this is my problem!” Miss Wednesday insists, noble to the very end. “I can deal with it on my own! I--” she pales as it suddenly sinks in. “I have to go get Igaram and Carue, oh no, what do I do?!”

“Igaram?”

“See, you  _ do _ need our help,” Usopp says, “and if Luffy beats up your bossman, he’ll  _ definitely _ get a high bounty. It’s a win-win situation.”

“B- But! But that's impossible to begin with!” Miss Wednesday says exhaustedly. “Even with the Burglar Cat and the Man Demon on your ship, you can’t be hoping you can actually defeat one of the Seven Warlords of the sea! And it’s  _ Crocodile _ , of all people. He’s got an incredible Devil Fruit ability, you know!”

Immediate, bone-breaking silence descends on the entire cape.

Utter horror strikes. 

“Oh no no no forget I said that! PLEASE!” 

She’s hysterical at this point, desperately fumbling in tears, knowing it was much too late to fix her mistake. 

Usopp can’t handle this. 

He actually bursts out laughing, and he hears Nami join him in the distance. 

Gin’s shocked enough to actually be petrified, hands loosening against Sanji’s collar, flabbergasted expression plastered on their faces. Sanji actually drops his cigarette. 

“A warlord?!” Luffy says, absolutely excited now, “hey! That’s like the Hawky guy, right?! That sounds amazing, Usopp, hey!”

“Don’t be excited about it!” Gin snaps, throwing down his tonfas because if he w as going to murder her now, he was very much going to use his hands for it. “Dammit woman! Why did you tell us that?! Now we’re definitely going to have to get involved!”

(“Oh, so Gin  _ can _ recognize event flags,” Usopp mutters to himself.)

“I’m sorry!” she pleads, tears in her eyes, “I didn’t mean to!”

Small mercy, the Unluckies aren't around. They can still turn around and pretend they didn’t hear it, and nothing would be wrong.

(The News Coo lands on Nami’s arm, and trades a few beris for a newspaper.)

(Usopp nods. There goes all their chances of escape-- in a couple days, Crocodile heading an organization will probably become available knowledge high on Morgans' information channels. Their fate is sealed.)

Sanji swoons, already resigned to their fate because Luffy is sparkling three ways into the sun, “Miss Wednesday is beautiful when she’s being a dork, too!”

“Please stop!”

“W-W-Wait, what am I supposed to do?!” Mister Nine squawks. “Your Highness Miss Wednesday-- That's right. I can still pretend I don't know anything, right?"

_Yes, yes he can._ But for the rest of the Strawhats, that isn't feasible as long as Luffy is apparently way too eager to get involved, and no one is actually trying to stop him except for Gin. 

The resulting panic is more amusing than anything else, but Nami sighs in resignation, picking up the Log Pose and strapping it to her wrist, holding up the map with a wide grin. Well, at least the route is nicely charted. As expected from Gin-- though Usopp probably taught him how to do it. 

“Well, nothing we can do about it now,” she says, turning cheerfully back to the crew. “You’re in trouble, right? Then what’re we waiting for? Full speed ahead to Whiskey Peak we go!” 

“YEAH!” Luffy cheers, and Usopp and Sanji give their similar yells of agreement in slightly differing ranges of enthusiasm.

“Ehh?!” is everyone else’s reaction. 

“You know it’s a trap, but we’re still going?!” Miss Wednesday has no idea what is going on right now. Is this a pirate crew, or what? On second thought, maybe it’s  _ because _ it’s a pirate crew that they’re not thinking about the consequences...

Gin also disagrees. “Nami, you  _ can’t _ be serious.”

Nami gestures at Luffy with a shrug. “Well, we can at least get her there. And then if we change our minds, we can turn back.”

“You know that’s not how it’s going to work!” Gin snaps, “if they label us enemies, they’re going to chase us down!” 

“It’s fine, Gin!” Luffy wraps his arms three times too many loops around Gin, “it’ll be fun!”

“This is not a ‘have fun’ situation! Usopp, say something!”

Usopp doesn’t, because Luffy isn’t going to understand if he just says that. 

(They can’t play it nice and easy here if they want to grow. It’s going to hurt, but that’s unfortunately how Luffy learns best. So Usopp and Nami have already agreed on letting these things happen without change.)

(They internally apologize to Gin, though.)

The Captain's ecstatically jumping about, way too eager to get on the ship and set sail right now. Nothing they can do about it if the Captain is the most excited to get there.

“We’re going to fucking die,” Gin mutters, burying his face into his hands, for about the hundredth time that week. “Two minutes into the Grand Line and our goal is a fucking Warlord. History, _ bloody hell, _ it repeats itself.”

Sanji pats him on the back. “Shithead, it’s not the same as it was with Krieg,” he says, “ _ we’re _ heading for the Warlord this time, not the other way around.”

“Exactly the problem!” Gin groans.

Luffy grins. “It’s the exact opposite of a problem, Gin!” and the man makes a dying noise in response.

“He’s right, you know,” Nami says, folding up the map after making sure they were set on a heading to Whiskey Peak. “Recklessness isn’t the problem here-- it’s the solution!”

“Nami, I thought you were the rational one on this ship!”

-

* * *

-

After Nami got involved with the ‘hey we found a princess that’s working undercover, let’s help her’ discussion, it only took a few more words to sort-of convince everyone to allow them onto the ship.

In a ‘fuck it, I’m tired of talking common sense into idiots, let’s just go’ sort of way. 

Gin and Zoro were the only voices of reason on the ship-- but Zoro was asleep, and Gin couldn’t win an argument alone. 

Sanji is in agreement with everything that has to do with Miss Wednesday’s wellbeing, and Usopp and Nami were already in the process of getting there, as if the decision was obvious from the start. 

Something is wrong here (are they on crack?) and Gin doesn’t know  _ what. _

(Goddammit, he likes this crew but sometimes he just wants to strangle all of them slowly in a dungeon.) 

For Miss Wednesday and in her defense, she really didn’t have a choice. She had to get back to Whiskey Peak regardless, and if she had to ride the road of a pirate ship to get there-- well, it’s the least riskiest thing she’s done so far.

(Why did they even believe that she was a princess, anyways? Just because the long-nosed said so?)

“But this isn’t any of your business!” she insists, even as they board the ship. “I know I’m speaking this ironically-- but I could steal a weapon and stab you guys in the back when you aren’t looking!”

“Well, are you?” Luffy asks.

“Uh. No, but--”

“Then that’s fine, you can stay.”

“Don’t trust so easily! Are you really the captain?!”

It's probably a statement to their disorganization that Miss Wednesday feels genuinely concerned for this ship's workings.

Gin, for one, isn’t going to retort anymore. 

This is unfortunately his captain now and he has to live with it. It’s okay, the stress can’t possibly make his life any shorter than it was already fated to be. 

Mister Nine sighs. He sits on the deck _(I’m going with you, Miss Wednesday! We’re partners, after all-- I can’t just leave you now!)_ and simply watches everything go on. He’s very out of place here and he’s aware of it. 

“What are you talking about, Miss Wednesday? Of course it’s our business,” Nami says, raising her finger. “It’s  _ business _ , period. I’ll have you know our prices aren’t cheap.”

Miss Wednesday’s jaw drops. 

That was a complete game changer for the situation, as ridiculous and unsensible it already was. “You’re charging?!”

“Bodyguard fees, mercenary fees,” Usopp counts off the top of his head. The bird on his shoulder adds her own input, but goes ignored. “Beggars can’t be choosers, unfortunately.”

“Wha-- I wouldn’t be on this ship if I weren’t desperate…” Miss Wednesday despairs, suddenly realizing the anchor has been raised and she only has two more minutes to hesitate, “you guys are so dishonourable!”

“We’re pirates!” Luffy gleefully reminds her. 

"Last I recall, we were trying to kill a defenseless whale," Mister Nine notes the hypocrisy, to which Miss Wednesday hisses for him to be quiet.

“You’re a princess, right? You should have cash,” Gin points out. Regardless of whether that’s true or not, they were a bounty hunting organisation. They literally  _ run _ on the premise of cash, so there should be a monetary benefit for them somewhere.

“No, we’re kind of in the midst of a civil war, as I’ve said…”

“Then we’ll put it on your tab.”

“Is this a bar?!”

“No, this is a pirate ship.”

At this point, Miss Wednesday wanted to jump off. 

But alas, all her brain cells have curled up and died in the process of the absolutely appalling conversation, and she realized it was much more to her own benefit that she stayed here and hitched a ride. 

“Plus, this isn’t done without reason,” Nami finally admits, to everyone’s surprise. “While I agree-- it’s dumb to lead two of you onto our ship, we need the manpower right now to make it through the starting storm. So basically, you gotta work your cab fee.”

“Ah,” Miss Wednesday looks up, rather appreciative of that one factor that allowed her to breathe with a little less guilt, “I see. That’s fair… I suppose…”

“Come to think of it, this _ is _ an abnormally small crew,” Mister Nine admits, “I’m rather surprised you made it here at all.”

“Hey,” Luffy takes offense.

“He’s right, in a way,” Nami pats Luffy on the straw hat. “At least for now, we need more people on hand, even if they’re just there to pull some strings or fix holes that show up in the hull. And trust me, we’ll never have enough hands around here.” 

-

(Just like the other side of the Red Line-- there’s always a storm that greets them in the entrance. It’s the factor that wipes out most of the unprepared pirates in Paradise.)

(However, it’s not as straightforward on this side of the wall. It can range from heavy snow to thick fog on a sharp spin to strong winds and icy paths, but the fact remains that it’s dangerous to go on unprepared.)

(Usopp’s patch jobs have always been notoriously shoddy, but they were always quick when the times called for it. Now that he was blind, he could do neither. That was, before they get a shipwright in Franky, a big loss.) 

(Which is why they went out of the way to get a sea king to ferry them across Reverse Mountain. Even in the first time around, the ship would have capsized much earlier if the crew did not have the particularly patchwork-competent Usopp with them.)

(And that was really ironic to think.)

(Though Usopp was bitter to admit it, he was no longer competent in the same way, and thus they had to make new adjustments accordingly.)

-

“Bye Whale! Don’t rub out that mark now!” Luffy loudly warns.

The whale sings back, the crudely-drawn Strawhat jolly roger clear and bright on his head. Crocus stands at the pier to see them off with a hum.

They wave goodbye to Crocus and Laboon as they parted from the Twin Capes, finally making their way toward the first stretch of the Grand Line.

Zoro lays asleep at the corner of the deck with Kinoko flopped across his belly. They were snoring quite loudly, but they were out of the way so it was fine. 

(Nami contemplates punching him awake, but she decides against it.)

As entertaining as it was to see them coerce an unwilling princess onto their ship, Gin did not like the situation and he was making that clear. He was going to watch her like a hawk-- and everyone had agreed to that-- so any suspicious moves would be interrogated. 

Even if Usopp swears that she’s an actual princess, Gin could care less. Royalty and nobility are things he never bows down to, after all. 

“Here’s the deal, Luffy,” Gin finally speaks up as they face the horizon. His captain sits on the figurehead, and they were away from the rest of the crew. He lowers his tone, speaking seriously. “I’m tolerating this until we get to our destination. If for a  _ second _ I think we shouldn’t do this-- you’re listening to me, understood?”

Gin isn’t going to let them walk right into a suicide situation, idiots or not.

(As the oldest and most experienced member of the crew, he’s responsible for at least this much.)

Luffy looks over, his expressions neutral. Despite the childish eagerness he had displayed, he looks at him with a degree of gravity in his expressions, willing to listen to those words in consideration of Gin’s feelings if nothing else.

“The Captain of this ship is  _ me _ , Gin,” he says, his tone laced with just a hint of whininess. He even punctuates it with a light smile, like a lighthearted reminder rather than a stern warning. 

But it didn’t seem that way to Gin.

Gin stiffens, face steeled, as if the words had hit him a little hard. Luffy notices the way he goes paler, fingers tightening around his forearms in fear. 

The Captain had failed to catch until now, that his Quartermaster wasn’t used to their ways yet. But the Quartermaster, too, had forgotten that the nature of this new crew was far more complicated than this. 

To Gin, this was the precognition of something dire. A slap to the face, a swing of a blade, and immediate regret. 

_ (Men are killed often on the Don's ship.) _

_ (It's the natural order, after all. What were those men thinking, going against the Don's orders? Did they think they had the right to express their disagreements directly up the chain of command?) _

_ (Perhaps, Gin has grown complacent too.) _

_ (For a moment, he had forgotten that he didn't have any authority on this ship. What was he thinking, complaining constantly about everything and even justifying it in his head that it was for the crew? Has he gone mad?) _

The Don was authoritative and unforgiving. Gin had always been careful when working under him-- and this would be his first fuck up. He pales, feeling the churn of another round of blood making its way up his throat. 

But none of that happens. 

Luffy simply adjusts his hat on his head and turns back toward the sea. 

Picking up after his mistake without an apology-- because they didn’t need those things-- “I trust you, Gin!” he staples it on with a resolution and a wide smile. “So if you think we really shouldn’t, then we won’t. Alright?”

_ (I decide where we go. And you make sure it doesn’t go too far out of control.) _

And it's another phrase he's heard plenty of times from Don-- but from Luffy's lips, it sounds beautiful. It sounds genuine, and it fills him with so much confidence, he might have cried there. 

Maybe it’s the pain of the poison in his chest-- nah, he’s used that excuse too many times. Maybe one day, he can admit that these warm feelings are joy. 

(What was he bracing himself for? Luffy isn't Don Krieg.)

(He thought he knew that.)

On this ship, he could complain as much as he wanted. He was allowed to. There will, of course, be people that deny his denials, and things will never go the way he wants them too-- but that’s fine.

Because order is something only done in moderation on a pirate crew. His job was essential-- but sometimes, moderation can run wild. Moderation can be a nag. And they would love him and need him all the same. 

“Alright, captain,” Gin manages to say. Then, more for himself than for Luffy, he adds that, “I trust you, too.”

-

It’s snowing. 

Which Nami actually despises for the irony-- she had  _ just _ changed to the heat model, dammit. Grand Line weather, curse you!

(And of all things, Zoro is asleep, so it’s not like she can ask him to change her limbs again. She’ll kick him later. With the metal foot.)

Luffy had been building snowmen for a long while, until he threw a snowball at Mister Nine who had been criticising his art skills. Except, he missed and hit Sanji. 

So now Luffy and Mister Nine were running for their lives while Sanji, who had a shovel, was trying to bury both of them. Mister Nine has no idea why this is happening to him.

Zoro now had snow covering him in a layer. Kinoko, seemingly registering the cold but not willing to rouse, squeezes herself under the belly warmer and continues sleeping.

Gin had been out there shovelling with Sanji, but after the chaos occurred, he decided to stand there and contemplate his life decisions again. 

(Then the three stooges pelted him with a snowball and he takes that as a personal insult, so he proceeds to join in, but that was of course beside the point.)

Nami wraps a shoulder guard, layered with heat packs, around the core of her metal arm. It won’t help out much near the elbow and finger joints, but it prevents frostbite at the core and that was enough for now. 

She hid out in the galley with Usopp and Miss Wednesday, wrapped in blankets. 

Usopp was working on the Buggy passport they had acquired, trying to transform it into an ornament that they could carry around without it getting in the way of battle. 

“They’re freaking out about Luffy’s crazy stunt on the execution platform,” Nami tells Usopp. They’re seated by the table, the former reading the newspaper. 

The front page was plastered with Luffy’s face, a shot of his smile as the execution is shown in shambles behind him. A second picture depicts him exchanging sake cups with a cloaked man, moments before lightning struck. 

There were accompanying pictures as well, mostly civilian shots of Nami and Gin getting along as they made their purchases around town. Zoro, another prospective Straw Hat member in Marine opinion, also had a picture displayed in the corner.

Usopp chuckles at the descriptions. “But no bounty yet?”

“No, but I think that’s more out of confusion than anything else,” Nami surmises. “They’re putting a large warning on ‘Straw Hat Luffy’ with this article, though. He leads the two highest bounty holders in the Ease-- and he can apparently contact the dead.”

Usopp snorts.

All the while, Miss Wednesday gives them a strange look. Nami describes every picture they find, and reads it out to him as if he couldn’t read it for himself. 

_ (Is he illiterate? That’s not uncommon... But then there wouldn’t be a need to describe the pictures, would there?) _

Gradually, as they ignored her and continued to speak-- Miss Wednesday realized that the long-nosed craftsman was blind.

_ (But her hand shivered at the realization that this was the same man that found them behind a rock, exposed their intentions-- and knew her secret.) _

_ (Why did he know so much?) _

_ (It was, just a little… incredibly, incredibly terrifying.)  _

_ (They say that those who are blind are the ones that have seen the most in the world.) _

“But they don’t know just how much damage he can cause yet, so his bounty is still tentative,” Nami summarises. 

Which makes sense-- the platform event could have been a skit or a prank for all they knew. Pirates loved flashy things and the more experienced marines were willing to bet the situation on a loud publicity stunt if nothing else. 

But they got news coverage, and that was all Nami wanted. 

On a smaller scale, they also covered the Revolutionary event on Tequila Wolf, (which was penned down as a ‘rebel base found in an abandoned country’ instead of the ironic other way around.) 

Even if the World Government was unaware, someone involved in that outbreak would definitely remember the straw hatted boy. Rumours will spread about the revolt possibly kicking off from that little jailbreak. 

(It won’t be a big deal, but it will certainly ring some bells in future conversations.)

“They don’t know how to gauge the wanted amount because this is a confusing sort of threat hailing from the East sea, of all places,” Usopp shrugs, “well, he’ll definitely get one after Crocodile, so it’s only a matter of time.”

“I’m betting on a hundred mil starter,” Nami grins. “We’re hyping him up, y’know!”

“That’s impossible,” Usopp denies immediately, “the highest starting bounty recorded in history is eighty million, you know. They won’t go any further than that for an outset. Also, Nami, where the hell did you pick up that vocabulary?”

“None of your business. But if you’re in such denial about it, wanna  _ bet _ ?” Nami repeats herself, her voice slurring in an almost cheeky, seductive way that made Usopp rethink every decision in the world. 

_ (When Nami makes a bet, she never loses-- even if she does, she’ll find a way to make you miserable about it, to the degree where it doesn’t even feel like you’ve won. It really, really sucks sometimes.) _

He groans. “Just read the rest of the article.”

-

“Why?” Miss Wednesday speaks up. 

They turn to her.

“Why are you two so sure you’ll defeat Crocodile, just like that?” she finally brings up the courage to ask. “I don’t think you understand just how fearsome a man he is!”

She couldn’t handle this anymore-- this nonchalant nature. 

(It was mockery to her.)

She’d suffered for five years, just to get anywhere close to this progress and a bunch of pirates are just going to waltz in, take care of it, and that would be it?

_ What makes them think it’d be so easy? _

(She almost doesn’t want them to help her, but that’s her pride talking, so she would never vocalize it.)

(But the emotions stay there, churning in her impatience.)

“We understand,” Usopp says, his tone stern and serious. “And Miss-- Vivi,” he uses her name, and that makes something in her shrivel. “We’re sorry that there was no one that could give you this same degree of help before now.” 

(Huh?)

“It’s a political problem, after all,” Nami says. Her words were to Vivi, but her heart seethed in the memories of Arlong Park’s dark ages. “The World Government is at fault-- sometimes, a girl has to stand up for her precious people. I was the same, too.”

Miss Wednesday bites her lip. 

“There are things we can’t do alone, even if we risk our lives and spend years in hell for it,” Nami tells her. And she inches, just a little closer to the princess. “And I realized that a company of ragtag pirates is better than having no company at all. The only thing in my way was my confidence that now had no pillar, and my pride.” 

And Miss Wednesday resists the urge to shout.

(Pride? Confidence? Is that what they’re summing up her internal conflict into?)

Of course, she wanted someone to share the burden with. She had Igaram with her, Carue always by her side. But loneliness always prevailed, for the sake of her kingdom.

She couldn’t trust a single one of her fellow agents. 

(So when Mister Nine vehemently declared his desire to stay on the ship with her, because they were  _ partners _ \-- she had internally marked him an idiot.)

(An idiot, because didn’t you know? I don’t trust you nearly as much as you do me.)

(I was tricking you this whole time. Don’t call me your partner-- I’m a terrible, terrible person that deserves none of your compassion and trust!) 

She feels a hand at her cheek and she immediately backs off, sharply slapping it away. It takes her another second to realize it had been Nami-- and she was holding a handkerchief.

And Miss Wednesday had frustrated tears trailing down her cheek.

She wipes it away, furiously pretending they never existed. 

“I’m not overconfident!” she insists, her anger overtaking her. “All of you are! The situation is hopeless, and we’re all going to die once we reach Whiskey Peak… and yet… and yet all of you are still here, bringing me there…. Why?”

Her voice broke at the end of it, and she dissolved into tears. 

There are Officer Agents waiting for her at Whiskey Peak. It was stupid to even bother going there-- but Igaram and Carue were there, and she needed,  _ needed _ to get them first. If she didn’t go, they would definitely die. 

And yet…

“Vivi,” Nami calls, but she doesn’t look up. “Vivi, look at me.”

She does, and she finds Usopp sliding a cup of warm tea in her direction. Nami hands her the handkerchief-- but Vivi doesn’t take it.

“You’re right. Whiskey Peak is a trap, so there’s no reason we should go there. You have friends on that island, but if we’re choosing the lives of those two or the lives of your whole country-- it’s easy to see which is more important,” Nami challenges her.

Vivi snaps at the implication, “I am  _ not _ leaving Igaram and Carue to die!” She slams her hand on the table.

“So you’re just going to die with them instead?” Nami says, raising her voice.

“No! I--”

“That is  _ exactly _ what you’re thinking,” Nami says. “Deep down, you know that it’s impossible to save both of them. But here we are, giving you a slim chance for all of you to make it out alive. And you trust it, that’s why you’re asking us to go there.”

“That isn’t what I’m doing!”

“It is!”

And she fell silent, biting her lip. 

(She’s right.)

(Right now, Miss Wednesday is trying to use this crew to her benefit. It’s not as if she has a choice in the matter, and they were willing, after all.)

“You don’t have to think about it, Vivi,” Usopp tells her. “You’re not a nice girl, and your years in Baroque Works is proof of that. You might as well make the most of it, you know?”

_ Use us _ , they were saying.

_ Use us as your pawns to save your country. _

_ We’re volunteering. _

“Your strongest suit is spearheaded leadership, as a princess of your country,” and those words struck her, almost too well in her heart. Usopp grins, though. “Take the reins, and we, the idiots, will follow. And you’re going to make sure we all make it out alive.”

“Not too literally, of course,” Nami quickly adds, “Luffy’s still the captain of this ship. But we’ll take your words as the advisor, counsellor and strategist in this war. And in return, we get prestige, and your skills for the duration of the voyage. Is that fair?” 

Almost too fair. 

Vivi could see the thinking line behind the pretty words. 

They were just ferrying a princess over like busybodies-- but they were trying to involve themselves, to turn this into something else. 

To turn this into future investment, so they can plant their seeds of connections into the roots of a royal kingdom once they liberate it. 

Everything else was something short of a convenient excuse, that was obvious. 

(Is this as bad as what Crocodile is doing?) 

(...maybe not.)

“That’s fair,” she admits. She wipes her tears, picking up the teacup and taking one soothing, warming sip. “But… but we’ll negotiate the terms in detail at a later date.”

Nami extends her flesh hand, to which Miss Wednesday takes in gesture of contractual agreement. “You can be assured of our skills at the next island,” she promises. 

“The incredulity of this crew has assured me as much, but I will keep that in mind,” Miss Wednesday says, breaking into a resigned smile. 

-

“Everyone! Storm coming south-southeast!” 

Everyone jumps up at the same time to put their full point of attention at the navigator. Usopp and Miss Wednesday leave the galley, the latter padding gently at her raw and reddened cheeks, trying to get her energy back. 

(Zoro stays asleep, but no one notices yet.)

“Usopp, take the jib sail! Sanji, on the rudder-- wait sorry, the other way around!” Nami orders. Usopp doubles back, abruptly remembering despite himself that a blind man shouldn’t take the damn jib sail, because that doubles as aft lookout. “Gin, tighten the sails!”

“Aye, sir!” 

It was finally time to face the chaos, and Nami had the most excited smile on her face. Maybe that was why everyone else couldn’t help but smile back. 

“Iceberg at eleven o’clock!” Miss Wednesday yells loudly. 

“It’s huge!”

“Usopp, rudders hard to starboard! Sanji, rein that in!” Gin yells before Nami could order it. The two obey immediately, and the synchronous action prompts a smooth, wave-compelling turn that Nami has never come close to experiencing without Jinbei on their side. 

They avoid the iceberg almost too perfectly, coming close but never grazing the surface. 

It surprises her, so she takes a moment to meet Gin’s eyes-- and she suddenly realizes that she wasn’t the only one with navigation knowledge anymore. 

In fact, Gin had  _ sailing _ knowledge that surpasses hers-- he knew, not perfectly, but enough for a caravel, how to turn ships. And he could do it so much more naturally than Nami could ever hope to emulate. 

Nami’s specialty lay in the direction and the weather-- and that’s where she should put her attention on. Gin had skills everywhere else-- and for a highly specialized crew like this one, a member like him was vital.

(I do what I can do, and you do what you can do.)

(That’s a crew, right?)

Gin nods at her, not quite registering her thoughts but prompting for her to ensue the next command. He was the responder of the situation, after all-- not the commander. 

(Nami didn’t have to do everything on her own anymore-- that was such a crazy thing to think about. She might have been underestimating all of her crew until now.) 

She laughs. 

(Oh, what to do? She’s so happy.)

“Ooh, there’s a dolphin in the distance!” Luffy announces, ecstatic, pointing at something none of them have the liberty to look out for, “it’s huge! Nami, let’s go find it!”

“Luffy, sit down and be quiet!” Nami snaps, though the smile is so, so wide on her face. 

She looks at the log pose.

“Usopp, angle our course thirty degrees northwest! Strong winds coming in from the starboard, so Sanji, hold your spot!” she orders. Then as an afterthought, “Gin?”

Gin holds tight to the ropes of the sails, nodding sharply, “Hey, Mister Nine! Get off your ass and take the other sail!” then a second later, “Usopp, pull back!” 

Usopp pauses there, careful not to turn them too sharply across. He could only gauge, after all-- he couldn’t clearly tell from orders and feeling alone. 

“Zoro, wake up, we’re in an emergency!” Usopp yells. “And Kinoko, stop ignoring us and get out of the haramaki!”

“Are you  _ fucking  _ serious?!” Gin exclaims, not having noticed the swordsman a nd the bird still being asleep this whole time. (Come to think of it, roads were abnormally free of bird face-hugs today.) “HEY! We need another hand on the sails! ZORO!”

“Rocks! Nami, Rocks!” Luffy yells out urgently, “they came outta nowhere!”

_ That definitely happened a lot on the Grand Line, didn’t it?  _ Nami takes it in immediately-- crap it’s impossible to dodge all of them! “Twenty degrees, Sanji!”

“Too late! We grazed it!” 

“Water below deck!” Wednesday yells, rising from under the deck, carrying the oars in her arms. 

“Damn it!” Gin swears. The Merry was such a fragile vessel. “Nine, go fix it!”

“Wha--” Mister Nine falters, but flinches as Gin gives him a death glare. “Okay, okay!” He goes after it immediately, knowing from his prior ship tour where the supplies were.

“Winds rising fast!” Nami raises her voice, alarmed, “raise the sails now! Ship hard to port, it might be a cyclone!” 

“The sails are going to tear! Luffy, help me out here!”

“Sanji, keep the jib out but hold it tight!”

“Usopp, I’ll take the rudder! Help out with raising the sails! Luffy, go up and get it from the crow’s nest!”

“Another leak in the lower deck! I need larger planks!” 

“Wednesday, there are spares in the women’s room! Get them to Nine!”

“Could you at least put the Miss and Mister before it?!”

“Is this the fucking time for naming conventions?! Wait a minute-- ZORO, WAKE UP!”

“Kinoko! I know you’re pretending, GET UP!”

-

* * *

-

Of course, once they were out of the storm and sprawled out in pure exhaustion, Zoro got an inglorious slug over the skull with the Clima Tact.

“Can’t believe you would actually do it again,” Nami hisses.

“What do you mean, again?”

Nami pointedly doesn’t answer that.

Needless to say, Zoro is just as confused as the first time as to why he got hit over the head. He’s swearing colours into their ears and everyone is too tired to explain to him just yet.

(Meanwhile, Usopp is sitting by the bow, holding his bird upside down by the legs as if it was a chicken about to be gutted. He’s giving her the most unimpressed look in the world, and the bird expertly avoids meeting his eyes, not that he can see or anything.)

(Everyone averts their eyes.)

“Huh? What are these bozos doing on our ship?” Zoro asks, as soon as he recovers. 

Miss Wednesday and Mister Nine lay on the deck, out of breath and absolutely gratified for the decent springtime sun. “You just noticed?!” even  _ they’re  _ exasperated. 

“Come to think of it… what were you guys’ name again?” Zoro crouches down, “Mister Nine? Miss Wednesday?” he hums, tilting his head quite contemplatively-- “now where have I heard of that before?”

The two agents sweat nervously. There was no way this swordsman of the East Blue could know about their organisation, could he?

“Uhm, actually… it’s a long story at this point…” Miss Wednesday tries to fill in, but her hesitation gives her no time to explain anything. 

Nami checks the Log Pose one last time-- and turns her eyes to their heading.

“We’re here, everyone!” she declares, just as the clouds part to reveal the grand, charming silhouette of Cactus Island in the distance. 

“It’s an island!”

“We got here alive!”

Luffy bolts up from the dead, beaming in fascination at the abnormally mountains that were the island’s namesake. Sanji takes it in similarly, his excitement palpable in the view of the very first island they would encounter on this monstrous sea. Gin is much more tense, but among the crew, he lets his shoulders ease. 

Zoro keeps a hand on Kogatana, his other hands resting against the swords around his waist. 

“We’ll reach shore in an hour, in this wind,” Nami says. “Now sit down, everyone-- it’s time to talk about the plan.”


	28. [EXTRA] profiles.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> not a chapter. but just to catch up to all the time travellers we have so far, I made some profiles for fun.

**Important Note:**

These photos are edited from official art and various other sources, cause I can't draw. They're just meant to look a little closer to what they should in the fic, mainly with Nami's metal arm and stuff, but they are by no means the 'set in stone' appearances of the characters now. I can't alter everything after all-- but I did what I could.

Mainly the point of this chapter is to just sum up most of the large changes for now. (As of Loguetown)


	29. preparation is key (that's why we're losing)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party begins on Whiskey Peak. With full stomachs, drawn swords, and muted urgency in the background, it all goes well.
> 
> And then it goes wrong, and then it keeps going wrong.

Whiskey Peak, the only town of Cactus Island, had only one routine.  If you see pirates, invite them in for a banquet, get them drunk, and then collect bounty heads. If they don’t have bounties, send them off to auctions or marine bases. 

For years now, Igaram has been stationed in this very spot, sending off countless pirates onto a life of agony his conscience could never allow him to atone for.

(He does occasionally ‘allow’ a few to escape, but to keep up the act, he must crush his own heart, and be the one that seals their fates more often than not.)

(Neither his hands nor the princess’s hands were clean anymore. He will bring this regret with him to the grave, for the sake of the kingdom.)

(It hurts, so much. But he will do this, because his princess is suffering even more.)

So he had been greeting the pirates this time around. A jolly, young boy who ate like a country, a swordsman who could drink them dry, a womanizing chef who swooned over every woman that looked his way-- and then, the real threat of the crew-- the Girl with a Metal Arm, Burglar Cat Nami. 

(She was red-listed at first, because she was part of Whitebeard’s legion and thus reckless to be harmed-- but Igarappoi had done his research. According to reliable sources, she was now a free target.)

Despite her notorious prestige however, Igaram _(oh eks-- ma ma MAA~! Excuse me. I meant to say, Igarappoi,)_ was relieved to know that she was careless and loved to party, similarly to the rest of her crew.

Getting them drunk and tired from the party and feasting wasn’t easy (on their resources,) but when they fell asleep, the town was more than eager to strike. 

“Quite a philosopher, aren’t you, Mister Eight?” Miss Wednesday and Mister Nine address him from their spots on the roof.

The man is unfazed. “Ah, it’s you.” 

“We’ve struck gold on this capture, Mister Eight,” Miss Wednesday smiles, in the sinister way that she only saved for taunting the grunts they were deployed. 

Mister Eight looks over-- small talk was something irrelevant to their code-- so such a mundane topic of conversation was not something Miss Wednesday would purposefully initiate. It was part of their plan to not be associated with each other, after all.

Miss Wednesday tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear, and sets her hand in the center of her collar. “Though we’ve fallen behind on the race for prestige and the scourge of our mission, I believe their bounties would far make up for it. They can’t possibly see this coming.”

Mister Eight’s gaze narrows.

“These pirates sure can drink,” Miss Monday sighs, tearing off her nun garb as she leaves the bar full of sleeping patrons. “So Mister Eight, was this banquet necessary after all? I was under the belief that Burglar Cat was to be left untouched.”

“That was only the case if she had ties to Whitebeard,” Mister Nine interrupts, showing himself from one of the many roofs of the city. He tosses them a sheet from a larger newspaper, “as it is public knowledge now-- she’s clearly defected, and is now working under the boy with the Straw Hat.”

“The boy with the Straw Hat?” Miss Monday says in disbelief. That boy was the least impressive one of the lot. “Understandable, then. Shall we strike now?”

“Yes,” Mister Eight only kept his eyes on Miss Wednesday for a moment, turning to the hundred of their grunts that have assembled in their moment of conversation. “First, we must seize them. Tie them up, and then we raid the ship--”

“Sorry, but they’re a little tired from the journey. Mind letting them take a bit more of a nap?” 

Zoro stands at the roof of the building overlooking the crowd. 

It’s just then that bounty hunters run out from the buildings-- because one of their crew members had escaped while they weren’t looking. “Mister Eight, it’s an emergency--!!”

“Wha-- he’s up there?!”

“Wasn’t he passed out just a moment ago?”

And really, it’s quite a bold underestimation. Zoro’s appalled to know that his reputation, which was useful for warding away weaklings, is completely looked down on in a place like this.

Well, at least it puts into perspective just how much of an underdog Easterns are. Time to prove them wrong, then. 

Zoro scoffs. “A true swordsman never lets alcohol take control of him,” he says. 

Actually none of them should have seriously fallen asleep from the banquet after the warning, but there Luffy and Sanji were, snoring. Let's hope they wake up from the noise. 

“About a hundred bounty hunters, one island into the Grand Line,” Zoro says, biting Kogatana so he had hands to tie his black bandanna over his head. “So basically if I defeat all of them, I’ll be one step closer to Mihawk’s level, right?”

“Don’t be overconfident, Zoro,” here came another figure, wielding steel tonfas, “give me half of them. I’ve been itching for a fight, you ain’t taking it away from me.”

“No, eat my dust.”

The crowd whirls on the newcomer.

Gin tightens his grip on the tonfas, looking over at the crowd, surveying his targets. The strongest ones would have to be the agents, one of which they were ordered by Nami to not touch. No helping that one.

His eyes meet Miss Wednesday and Mister’s Nine’s-- and they subtly nod at him.

“Wha-- there’s another of them?!”

“They must have been hiding on the ship!” Mister Nine yells, his voice laced with feigned panic. 

Mister Eight quickly fills in on the leadership role. “That’s the Man-Demon, Gin! But he is nothing we can’t handle-- everyone, we have three targets! Kill them if you must!”

The sound of rallying gunfire and shattering bricks, tinged with howls of pain and the screech of metal against flesh-- those harrying noises fill the night as blood soaked into the ever-menacing frame of the Cactus Rock.

What happens next can only be described as a showoff slugfest. 

Gin and Zoro are brawlers, above everything else they do on the ship. They thrive in combat, on the field. So when one after another gets struck down by either a mallet or a butter knife-- well, that’s better than accidentally shooting each other. Some weren’t as fortunate.

Zoro runs around to lead the crowd, and Gin spears straight through. 

They’re different, but no one would dare think they weren’t equally terrifying on their own.

-

Almost immediately as the fight begins, the agents fade out of the scene, save for Mister Nine who leads them tactically away from the other Strawhats.

"I'll keep watch. All forces, split up!"

Miss Monday remains on standby on her ambush spots-- but Mister Eight takes a run down the street with Miss Wednesday, under the guise of reaching their ambush spots. 

(She had, after all, used the coded hand sign just a moment ago. That meant an emergency-- and that she had information to share in relation to their core mission.)

"We're leaving with the pirates," she says as they reach a junction. "The Log Pose takes half a day, so we need to buy two more hours before we can set out."

"With the Pi--?!" Mister Eight doesn't get a word in edgewise.

Miss Wednesday whistles, and Carue shows up. Mister Eight turns unhesitatingly into the next building, and Miss Wednesday moves on forward. 

That was it. An order, prompt and silent-- and he obeys, because he knows that  _ she  _ knows what she’s doing. 

Two more hours. 

They need to keep up the enemy act for two hours-- and then they'll have to turn right into the pirates for help and run. 

Vivi’s impulses are always worrying-- sometimes it isn't her fault, really-- but one thing, Igaram knows-- is that he's very much an enabler of all the reckless things his princess has ever done. It isn't going to change now. 

(So he'll trust her-- and go with the plans even if he only knows a smudgeon of it now.)

Igaram takes a step toward the window. 

And the carpet explodes under his feet.

-

* * *

-

Usopp and Gin hid out in the welcome. 

Usopp did so, because it’s much more viable for them to remain unaware of his existence than for them to realize he’s blind. Gin would be too suspicious to enjoy himself in the banquet like the others, so he opted out of that part. 

They had two jobs-- Gin had to help Zoro (though he vehemently denied the need for aid,) and Usopp was to locate the Unluckies and take them out. 

He had stayed away at first, but buildings had to be approached, even by a sniper. Usopp didn’t have the ability to scout out a group of strangers for two specific, unfamiliar auras-- so he had to approach it, and sense it out bit by bit. 

Nami would do the same, but in her direction. Usopp could already feel her in the distance, making her way through the other end for those signs. 

Someone shoots at him, but he swerves aside. Usopp dodges a sword attack in the same manner, and casually sticks his cane just a little too far under someone’s feet, to which they trip and bowl over boxes and tools. 

All they need after that is a spray of Usopp’s  _ probably _ -poisonous fumes from a mushroom that  _ probably won’t kill them from just one inhale, but will certainly knock them out, _ and then Usopp is free to go. 

(Spywork kinda suits him.)

Not a lot of people notice him, since they’re all so wary of the next person that shouts ‘hey, Pirate Hunter is over there!’ that they don’t even notice the casual tap-tap-tap of his walking stick. 

His Haki spreads out, carefully mapping out the location using the trajectories of the humans in the area. It’s convenient when they’re everywhere, because he doesn’t even need his special devices to get a sense of space.

He’d locked on to the auras of the four agents for now, sifting through all the grunts to find his crew. Then he reaches out further, upward.

“See them anywhere, Kinoko?” Usopp asks.

Kinoko doesn’t respond. She flies around, surveying from upward, but never quite making any vocal notice back. The Unluckies don’t seem to be around.

So Usopp has to sift through the crowd, gradually trying to pinpoint which voices are even slightly stronger than the rest. 

(It’s hard to do, but it’s the perfect opportunity to massage the precision of his Haki. He hasn’t been leaving it unattended, but it’s still so, so far from his best state of observation. He needs practice.)

He dodges another sword, deflects a gun too close to his head-- and freezes.

(He found them.)

Two clear and strong voices, one a little higher than everyone else, and one standing still by the crook of a corner. Those must be the Unluckies, so it’s a relief they’re nowhere near the crew, or the four agents.

Huh? If one of them is in the air-- Kinoko should have notified him by now, and the two birds would have started fighting. That was her job-- to distract the faster of the two executioners, long enough for Usopp to shoot it down. 

Something isn’t right. 

(Where’s Kinoko?)

Abruptly, Usopp realized that there was nothing up there. There was _nothing_ in the sky. What was the presence he’d felt a second ago, then?

And how did he lose sight of Kinoko? She must have descended at some point-- but now that she’s in the crowd, he can’t find her without focusing.

(Or maybe she got taken out in the air and Usopp didn’t even  _ notice _ because that’s how much of a tunnel vision his Haki gives him right now.)

His Haki was in disarray--  _ crap, breathe, Usopp. You know you Haki fails you when you panic! You can’t panic now, look for Kinoko! You know her voice, you definitely do!  _ She’s definitely there somewhere. Just lost. 

(What if it wasn’t the Unluckies? What if it was an actual, stronger enemy?)

But it’s too early for Mister Five and Miss Valentine to show up. Last time around, according to what Nami remembers, they only made themselves known after Zoro was done beating up a hundred men.

The timing should be the same, since they acted in the same way and even had a similarly long banquet. Luffy’s appetite was always the best indicator of time, after all. It doesn’t make sense for Friday and Valentine to have arrived on Whiskey Peak earlier than they had the last time. 

...no.

Oh no.

That’s it.

That’s where Usopp’s thinking is wrong. The timing  _ isn’t _ set in stone-- in fact, it’s already run apart from the rails of the original, even before they got here.

(Because  _ their _ timing isn't off.  _ Our _ timing is.)

Usopp’s eyes widen, and his Haki falters. 

“There’s someone there! You’re not one of us, who are you?!”

A bullet grazes his ear, drawing blood. 

He cringes, hiding by a ladder as his ears begin to ring. Usopp falls against a ladder-- so he grabs it and swings, hearing it shatter against the ambusher’s figure. 

They don’t make another sound, but Usopp hits him one more time to make sure he’s out cold. Cradling his bleeding ear, the thoughts finally catch up on him. 

(This time around, the Straw Hats stayed on the Twin Capes longer than before to get Nami’s arm replaced.)

(They were off schedule-- but the Baroque Works agents would not be..)

Usopp and Nami had been too overconfident about their past life knowledge, not realizing that things were changing in the most minuscule, insignificant ways.

_ How could they have overlooked this? _

(They fucked up.)

(Vivi and Igaram are in danger.)

He runs forward, quickly making his way around, and around-- where is he going? He doesn’t know either. But it’s faster to cut through the crowd than to keep trying to sense voices he doesn’t recognize. At the very least, he can use his ears if he’s close enough.

He sets a hand on the wall, his breath coming fast and quick.

He hates this-- being so uncomfortably weak. 

His body isn’t his own, and his senses don’t listen to him. His eyes are frustratingly out of tune with everything he wants to do, and his Haki stretches far, but doesn’t pick up enough to be useful when there’s so many unknown elements involved. 

That’s why he was happy when Kinoko came by. She was often absent and many times obnoxious-- but if there was something she never failed to do, it was come back to him,

_ Why wasn’t she coming back to him? _

(Because he lost sight of her. Yet, that is only one mistake among many.)

(When did he become so complacent?)

An explosion interrupts his thoughts-- and he lifts his head to the bright explosion not too far away from him. There’s only one person that can make such a huge explosion here.

Usopp rushes forward, walking stick held beside him rather than before him.

If he had been careful for just a second longer, he might have been able to detect the sparks jolting sharply against his soles, rubbing against the strange water under his feet. 

He doesn’t see it though.

And the liquid bomb detonates under him. 

-

When her careful tracing of Igaram’s aura suddenly cuts off with the sound of a loud explosion, Nami’s blood runs cold. 

(Unlike Usopp, she didn’t have the range or the ability to recognize voices in a crowd of more voices. So Usopp was the Haki finder. Nami was just scouting the normal way, only using Haki to follow Igaram’s voice as a form of mental training for her own benefit.)

(But then, it flickered.)

(There aren’t many situations where an aura flickers.)

She spins around, immediately making a run for the explosion. Why would anything explode? There was only one reason-- and that was the fact that their enemies had come early.

“I expected things to go wrong when I laid out the plan in front of Luffy,” she says, trying to smile in the irony of the situation, “I guess we can say this was expected.”

It was, after all, a threat they could handle. If they were early, then that was what Usopp and Nami are around for-- to scout them out first and come into contact early. 

But she’d underestimated the butterfly effect, maybe a bit too much.

“So they were early enough to set traps and lie in wait?” then that changed everything.

Nami’s bounty isn’t as high as Luffy’s, but her prestige is twice as worse, and was much better known in the Grand Line. Whatever that might mean in the eyes of Baroque Works agents-- she would have to find out now.

(Stop!)

She skids to a sharp brake, managing to halt in her advance in time for an invisible bullet-- felt only by the incredible gush of sonic force passing through her bangs-- shoot forth from the alley just a step ahead.

“I thought I had you.”

Nami looks aside to find Mister Five, his revolver in his hands.

“Pulling a gun on a girl? How ungentlemanly,” she teases.

Mister Five scoffs. “The Girl with a Metal Arm, Burglar Cat Nami,” he says--  _ and really, Nami is starting to hate that extensive epithet. Stick to the latter, would they?  _ “As if I’d let my guard down around someone with your notoriety. I’m not an amateur.” 

Nami whistles, charmed. 

So they  _ do _ have their professional pride after all. 

(He already has his revolver out, which means he’s not underestimating her at all-- now that was incredibly fresh. It’s almost annoying.) 

(She’ll have to respond in kind.)

She assembles her Clima Tact and rests it horizontally across her shoulders. Upon seeing something beyond his figure, her eyes widen into something short of rage, and she lifts her shoulders, glancing morbidly at her opponent. 

Behind him on the cold ground-- laying uncomfortably still, with wisps of awful-looking smoke rising from her body-- was Kinoko. 

She had been shot down.

“Oh, was the bird your friend?” mister Nine asks, almost mockingly. “It was a menace to the nighttime view, so I cleared the air a little. Found a little something for my troubles, too.”

And he flicks something into the air in absent-minded admiration.

It’s a ring-- made of gold, from the reflection that beams from it, shining even in the moonlight. 

“I’m not one for jewellery, but Miss Valentine would surely appreciate a good chunk of gold,” he muses to himself. “It’s a good tradeoff for this effort, since your bounty will be going into Whiskey Peak funds instead of our wages.”

So their mission here is to capture Miss Wednesday, not specifically to take out the pirates. That’s why they aren’t together. 

He regards the ring for another moment-- then, almost in jest, he strings it through his pinky. 

Nami sees red.

She splits her Clima Tact into two-and-one, tossing the latter part further beyond as she swings the baton forward.

Mister Five pulls the trigger of his revolver at her foot.

Deftly, she avoids it by stepping back and quickly twirling to land with her metal arm on the floor. She catches her loose section of the Clima Tact as it returns.

“I see… your weapon functions like a boomerang with magnets,” Mister Five observes. 

“And you’ve used two of your six shots,” Nami returns, easily recognizing the model of her gun. 

(Chew had always been strangely obsessed with human artillery, and a drunk Chew would go on for years about the various models. Nami found herself with more worth as a sounding board this time around-- because, really, this was useful info.)

“Saving bullets?” she taunts, despite knowing full well that Mister Five didn’t need a second to reload.

(But he didn’t need to know that she knew his Devil Fruit powers.)

(Keep the misunderstandings coming, because she  _ thrives _ on them. As long as it doesn’t involve allies, of course.)

They were in a narrow, building-prone location. If we’re comparing a gun to a throw-weapon, it’s obvious who would win.

Nami splits off the Clima Tact once more, letting it ricochet off a wall before spiralling forward with all the force of air pressure that could break glass.

Mister Five is taken by surprise at the change in direction, but he doesn’t need much to dodge, gathering his arm forward to fire all his remaining shots at once.

Nami ducks behind a wall-- but she doesn’t expect the cement building to actually shatter when the bullet hits. Dust and splinters rain down on her, and she barely has time to protect her head.

Her jaw drops-- _her memories betray her, because she doesn’t remember Paradise enemies being this dangerous_. The wall had been utterly blown to pieces by the force of an explosion that could only be a sonic boom.

(But is that the best he can do with his devil fruit?)

“The next shot won’t be destroying just the building,” Mister Five warns. 

Nami grins. “Too bad you’re not getting another, then,” she grins, raising her hand just in time to catch a baton just as it swings back. 

Mister Five scoffs, raising his gun toward his face, reloading it with one hard breath before clicking it back into place. “You underestimate me.”

Nami nods. “Same to you.”

Before the man could register the words, the last baton spins back, catching Mister Five by surprise as it smacks the gun right out of his hand. 

Nami reassembles the staff.

“With drearily-despondent deals and a bleak, unsatisfying beatdown, the weather on Whiskey Peak is morose yet again tonight,” she points upward as Mister Five scrambles to get his revolver back into his hands. 

_ (What, did you think she was seriously using her Clima Tact as boomerangs?) _

“What?” Mister Five looks up as a suspicious flash of light comes overhead. “A-- A dark cloud?! When did that--”

Nami beams.

“Tonight’s weather forecast is a sudden squall, delving quickly into a furious storm!” she declares, tucking the pieces of her Clima Tact into her belt. “Watch out for lightning overhead, and refrain from wearing metals that are conductors!” 

Mister Five had a second to realize the golden ring on his pinky is a conductor.

-

Sanji isn’t asleep. 

He gets up a moment after Nami does, and skulks somewhere away from the crowd. 

“Now, where do they keep the food,” he mutters to himself, trying to recall the paths the suppliers took when bringing in more food for Luffy to eat. “I think they were coming from this way...” 

He nonchalantly walks past screaming humans and mass destruction. Just another, normal day in the world. The restaurant was like this too.

_ “Kyahaha! If it isn’t Miss Wednesday.” _

_ “M- Miss Valentine!” _

Sanji freezes. Approximately three miles away north-northwest of where he’s standing-- he can hear… a woman. 

(Two women.)

_ “Now don’t try that fake smile on me, you very uncute little dearie,” the former teases, “I’m sure you know why we’re here. The boss sent us.” _

_ “Where’s Mister Five… Igaram!” she realizes in horror.  _

_ “Oh no you don’t!”  _

There’s a sound of a strike, and a pained scream. A squawk that sounds faintly avian can be heard as well-- but Sanji knows that isn’t Kinoko’s voice. It’s got a deeper intonation. Is it the one Usopp was warning about? The uh, Unlucky or something?

(Seriously, there are too many birds to keep track of now.)

But the bird aside--  _ oh lovely Miss Wednesday is in danger!  _ So Sanji starts sprinting. He might even brag that he made it there in three seconds.

But, a new problem.

Sanji runs in just as Miss Wednesday is fiercely kicked off her steed. Sanji isn’t quick enough to catch her as the ornament binding her ponytail shatters, and she tumbles harshly against the ground, her duck calling out in alarm.

The opponent lands, her heels digging in as she crouches down on the duck’s very convenient saddle. 

A smile.

In an instant, the duck crumbles under its own feet. Multiple kilos of weight grows and inflates on its spine, crushing down on its back.

Miss Wednesday is getting attacked…  _ but the opponent is a lady, too. _

(A very, very lovely lady, if he may-- no no focus-- she’s an enemy--)

Sanji steps forward-- Miss Valentine looks up, parasol by her shoulder in curiosity-- and kneels. He gets on his knees and, despite everything,  _ swoons _ \-- “oh, lovely lady!”

Miss Valentine blinks, because _what the heck?_

“Oh, how you have charmed me! Your beauty surpasses the stars!” Sanji woos, “would you like some tea, mademoiselle? I quite recall a great blend in the storage. I shall go fetch it immediately.”

He stands up, extending a hand in offer.

“Now, it’s not very modest to crouch in such a manner. Please, if you would give me just a moment, I shall lay the table for you.”

Miss Valentine takes it, if only out of sheer exasperation, and lets him stand her up, gracefully stepping back onto solid ground. 

Sanji then swirls and picks up Miss Wednesday, bridal style. “And of course, my lovely Miss Wednesday! I’m so sorry your prince did not catch you in time. No no, I mustn’t make you stand. Please, bear with this box as a seat for now.”

And he sets her, almost too gracefully, onto a wooden box on the side. 

Miss Wednesday and Miss Valentine are left to stare, almost awkward and incredulous, as Sanji dashes off. In less than a minute he produces a table, two chairs, a tablecloth, and a whole damn tea set.

Like, in the middle of the road and everything. 

(Carue lays, foaming at the mouth but uh, probably not dead? Behind them, ignored and forgotten in the midst of everything else.)

They found themselves being served tea-- lemon tea, with honey and ginger, Miss Valentine knows immediately-- and her grip on her parasol tightens in anticipation.

“Bon appetit, mademoiselle,” Sanji says, as they find themselves seated, parasol and weapons laid aside-- is this a chocolate sponge cake? Miss Valentine _ cannot  _ believe her eyes right now.

(She hasn’t had cake in a while. This was an emergency mission, so they didn’t get a break in between. Plus, Mister Five was never a gentleman. He had his moments, but their relationship was professional above all else. And that was fine and all… but this.)

(Being treated like a princess? A lovely table, chocolate cake, and lemon tea. Oh, just take her heart with it, will you? She is figuratively head over heels.)

She takes the fork, takes a bite, and-- and well, she’s gone.

“Is it to your liking, dear mademoiselle?” Sanji asks, with all the toner and splendor of a butler in a high class restaurant. 

She hums in pleasure. “Oh, pretty boy,” she looks up at Sanji with love in her eyes, cradling her chin in her palms alluringly, “won’t you become mine?”

Sanji surprisingly doesn’t falter. 

“It pains me, mademoiselle--” he dramatizes, “but forgive me, for my heart belongs to  _ every _ lady in the world. I cannot allow myself to be monopolized.” 

“Awh, what a shame,” Miss Valentine sulks. “Please? Pretty please.”

Miss Wednesday sits stiffly at her seat, wondering if she should stand up and bash them over the heads now that she had a chance-- or would it be better to let this play out?

(She has no idea. This is the first time she has  _ ever _ been in a situation like this.)

“Another, please?” Miss Valentine asks, demanding another cake when Sanji miserably rejects her again. She sips on her tea, apparently having forgotten all about her mission.

“Of course,” Sanji complies. Finally noticing Vivi’s shocked expressions, he turns his attention to her. “Ah, Miss Wednesday my dear, do enjoy your tea before it gets cold.”

“Ah, alright,” she takes it in her hands quickly, her polite instincts going straight for the ‘go with the flow’ plan for some reason. 

(She’s not going to remember that they’re supposed to escape until an hour of teatime later, but that’s also besides the point.)

-

Luffy, for one, woke up to go to the loo.

A couple people jump him with swords and guns, and god they were annoying, what’s with them? He’s too sleepy for that-- they’re almost as persistent as those monkeys back on Mt Corvo.

It’s nice exercise, though. He digests all his food with the workout and finds himself wandering the town, not so sure where he is anymore. 

“Oh, found Zoro,” he approaches the pirate hunter.

Zoro, currently with his hand on a ladder about to chuck twenty people off a building, looks over. “Oh Luffy, you’re awake.”

“Yeah,” Luffy says, “what’re you doing?”

Zoro tosses the ladder off the building and gleefully listens to them scream. He dusts his hands, “nothing much. Just cleaning a little around the area,” he says, pulling Kogatana back around his neck. “See Nami around anywhere?”

Luffy scrunches up his face in thought. “No…” he slurs the word, honestly unsure of himself. “Where is everyone anyways?”

Zoro shrugs. “They’re probably lost somewhere. Hopeless, the lot of them.” 

“Heh…” Luffy considers. Then he looks at Zoro doubtfully.

There’s a loud scream, and they both whirl around in alarm to see two men wielding large swords, swinging at them with a warcry.

Two simultaneous punches to the face later, Luffy and Zoro breathe out in relief.

“Scared me there,” Luffy says, annoyed, “what’s with all of these people? They were nice before. Did they eat a weird mushroom or something?”

“No Luffy, they are bounty hunters.”

Luffy gawks in disbelief, “no they aren’t! They gave us all a ton of food and sake!”

Zoro stares blankly at his captain. He raises his arm and-- grabs an ambusher by the neck, kneeing him in the face. He straightens. “You weren’t listening to a single bit of the plan, were you?” 

Luffy digs his nose, “what plan?”

Zoro groans, pressing his fingers into his eyes in irritation. “Now that explains why there wasn’t a part where you had to do anything important…”

But Luffy’s already got his attention elsewhere.

A little further from here, there’s a trail of black smoke rising steadily from a house. Zoro and Gin were fighting in this area, so there’s no reason there would be explosive damage over there. 

Zoro catches his glance. 

“Think it’s Nami?” They  _ have _ seen the storm ability utilized, after all. 

(Luffy had wondered how he survived the Loguetown lightning before Nami wisely demonstrated, but that’s a story for another time.)

Luffy shakes his head. “It doesn’t feel like Nami’s.”

Zoro looks at him strangely. “What the heck does that even mean?” he asks, then takes it back immediately, “nevermind. Don’t answer that.”

“Maybe it’s Usopp!” Luffy says, delighted to have possibly found someone else in the crew. “I’ll go check it out. See ya!”

“Huh? Wait--” Zoro responds a little too late. 

A hand reaches out from under, smashing him straight into a thick cement wall. 

Miss Monday cracks her knuckles in annoyance, stepping forward. 

She was covered in dust-- seemingly having been caught up in the chaos under. When she throws another punch, Zoro flips into the house to avoid it, regaining his balance for just a moment enough to swerve aside from the next. 

Zoro looks back to note that Luffy was already gone. 

(He let his guard down, that was his mistake. Maybe he should just be happy that Luffy trusted him enough to come back and check on him.)

“So, who’re you?” he asks, as if he doesn’t already know. “Let’s hope you’re a better fight than every other bounty hunter on this island.”

“Of your caliber?” Miss Monday asks. “I’m the only fight you’ll get.” 

Zoro doesn’t draw Kogatana. 

In a battle of strength, he knows he’ll win easy.

-

Nami’s nervous. She manages to take out Mister Five, but Igaram’s aura in the distance is quickly weakening. Something must have happened-- it flickered, after all. 

She’ll need to hurry. 

Snatching the ring back from the man’s hand, she quickly surveys the location. Noting a new presence abovehead, she looks up--

\--to come straight in the face of Mister Thirteen, the otter of the Unluckies pair. 

“Wha--!!” 

The otter nods at her, simply sketching something out onto a piece of paper. Knowing immediately what that is, Nami assembles her Clima Tact to quickly deal a strike in.

Honestly not to her surprise, the otter leaps easily out of the way. The otter produces a match from his pocket dimension, tossing it straight down at Nami.  She swerves aside to dodge it, not quite seeing the point of that attack. 

Then the realization strikes.

Mister Five lay at her feet, his entire body a bomb that only needs a little bit of friction to cause a spark that people would regret facing.  And a match, a flare, a definitive light for an explosion-- was heading straight for him, far too low for Nami to catch before it reaches. 

Nami hadn’t bothered preparing for large explosions-- she had made the area damp with the squall, after all. No sparks are going to happen as long as she was careful.

But a lit match, on a perpetually explosive substance-- that’s different.

Nami’s gaze swirls in horror to Kinoko, her prone body shivering just two paces away. In this alley, there’s nowhere an explosion of that caliber can hit. 

(She can’t handle another hit.)

“Kinoko!” she yells, diving forward. She discards her Clima Tact, encasing the bird’s so, so fragile figure under her own. 

The blast that meets her is not the largest she’s experienced in such close quarters-- but it’s certainly the first one for this life. 

(All she can think about is that she’s grateful she changed her arm into the Heat Model before getting here.) 

“NAMI!” 

She doesn’t expect to hear Gin’s voice, but when she does-- she’s horrified for a completely different matter entirely. 

There's a sharp clatter of steel against the ground, and Gin’s larger body swoops in between them, arms coming around in a semblance of a hug as his figure covers her own. 

_ (No no no, don’t watch, don’t just watch, there’s something you can do, there’s something you can--) _

She reaches her metal arm behind him-- and shoves his head down. At the very least, she can protect his head. This arm can handle it. 

His arms shielding her head and her arm shielding his. The explosion engulfs the entire alley, setting the world on fire around them. 

And there's nothing else she can do. 

(Because she's still so, so weak.)

(In the midst of flames, she can't even use her weather science. And though Gin is burning, she can't think of a better way to protect her fellow nakama.)

(She's always being protected.)

(Nothing has changed.)

She bites back the tears. 

_ For what reason did she come back here? _

Things were only different because of her newfound notoriety. If she wasn't so infamous now, then nothing would have been different and Gin wouldn't be suffering. 

But she did.

_ She made things change, and that's why this is happening.  _

-

When Luffy finds Usopp, the sniper is barefeet, dusted slightly with chars of an explosion. Breathing heavily, he walks carefully-- but he doesn’t notice that he leaves footprints in his path-- made of blood, red and growing denser the further he went. 

That immediately makes every nerve in Luffy’s system pull tight in alarm.

The smell of smoke is only in this place. Which is strange, because Luffy can’t smell any of the sand-like odor you would find in the wake of explosions.

(Of course, he doesn’t attribute that smell to gunpowder just yet. He only knows it as the smell of Dadan House’s mysterious back room that explodes every time Ace sneaks in. He always thought it was a mystery place.)

Usopp’s next step is met with a startled stop-- and the sniper barely manages to shove himself out of the way before the wall he touches explodes on contact. 

Swearing under his breath, the sniper pulls out a pair of gloves from his bag, strapping them on contemplatively. 

Then, almost as if the sniper has realized something, Usopp lifts his head, turning in the general direction of where Luffy was standing. 

“Luffy!” Usopp calls, and the boy straightens with attention. 

(Luffy swears that, though it isn’t his strong suit, he was quiet all the way here. The explosions didn’t really make it all that hard. It couldn’t have been his smell either. Luffy’s downwind-- he knows that much-- and there’s smoke everywhere.)

(So how did Usopp know he was here?)

_ (...hey, what exactly is Haki, again?) _

(Somehow-- he’s suddenly realizing just how important it was, not only for Usopp, but for everyone else, and most probably, himself.)

(Because that would explain why Benn Beckman always knows exactly when he’s snuck on their ship, and even which barrel he’s hiding in before they set out.)

“Luffy, there are bombs around!” he warns. “You can’t see them, but they’re everywhere and activate when you step on them and touch-- nevermind, rubber won’t cause sparks-- but they'll blow up if you step on them, so be careful!”

Luffy nods. So it’s a mystery exploding area, got it.

It also explains why Usopp is covered in injuries. Maybe Luffy could stretch an arm over to get him back? 

_ There doesn’t seem to be any enemies around, though…  _

“Luffy, break the building under you!”

_ Huh? _ Luffy takes a moment to return to reality.  _ Then oh, break the building under him.  _ He throws a foot into the air and-- “Gomu-gomu no…” Shatter. “AXE!”

Oh wait, he forgot to ask for what. 

And, ow.

Luffy gathers himself from the rubble, dusting off his stomach and putting his hat back on. He contemplates going out to ask what the deal is, but Luffy sees the answer for himself just a second later. 

The man with the chikuwa-looking hair-- he’d greeted them when they arrived, so Luffy remembers him-- lay on the ground, right by the partially broken wall-- and the blood that pooled under him was not a good sight.

From the ragged-looking breathing, to the way he obviously seems to have dragged himself two paces forward only to give up-- then Luffy looks aside and spots the leg.

Or the lack thereof.

HIs breath stills. “H-” he has to take a second, but he’s down and shaking him. “Hey, Chikuwa-Ossan! Hey! Are you alive?”

He is. And his hand, with strength that even Luffy winces at-- maybe it’s the nails, maybe it’s the desperation, but Luffy  _ felt _ it-- grabs Luffy’s wrist. 

And he looks up, his lips bitten to bleeding and his eyes bloodshot with vigor.

“Vivi…” he croaks, and he tries to push himself up.

Luffy’s eyes widen as he notices that his chest was seared badly, his clothes burned and red from the blood that was just carved into flesh. 

Luffy’s seen wounds like these before. And he knows these things don’t heal. 

(Dadan still has a large, tender wound on her stomach, remnants of protecting Ace in the Gray Terminal Fire-- though she would never let it show.) 

(But Luffy knows these are worse.)

They need a doctor. They need a doctor for this guy now or he’ll--

“P- Please,” he chokes out, looking at Luffy with the eyes of the most desperate, most distraught man in the world. He talks through the agony in his entire being-- and throws his head to the ground in plea. “Please... save the princess.” 

(And Luffy’s worldview crumbles.)

“What?!” he exclaims, “wait, Chikuwa-Ossan! We need to get you to a doctor now. Just wait, alright?!”

“No,” he’s firm about this. “Right now, the princess is of priority. Please.”

And Luffy’s eyes widen. 

(This is familiar. Familiar in a way he doesn’t like to think about.)

(This is like Ace, and like Shanks-- a wretched, desolate sign that things didn’t matter as much as it looked. They just wanted to protect the one thing they treasured, and they were going to do it.)

(Luffy has always been on the protected side of the situation.)

(This would be the first time he’s seeing it from this direction.)

And there’s so much blood. There’s the sickening smell of burning flesh and wood and steel and… and the grip on his hand is warm but growing colder. 

It makes him dizzy.

It makes him remember things he doesn’t want to. It makes him count in his head because that’s what Ace always told him to do when he feels like this. 

But all he sees is Igaram’s face swollen with tears, in a way that Luffy knows-- Luffy knows it’s the face people make when they hate themselves-- and he hates it, so much.

_ (These things always end up the same way, after all. It doesn’t matter if he barely knows this guy-- he resents this situation and every factor that leads up to it.) _

“Yeah, I’ll help her,” he says, despite not fully understanding the situation. Maybe it doesn’t matter, because he can catch up later. “I promise.”

_ (“I promise.”) _

He promises.

So when the man lets go of Luffy’s hand, a relieved smile on his face-- Luffy picks him up over his shoulder-- and leaps upward.

There’s still a bit of breath, but it’s weakening with each second. 

“Usopp!’ he calls, and throws an arm forward. 

Usopp stands there, shocked-- but thankfully, he doesn’t need to avoid or catch it. Luffy wraps his arm around Usopp, and slings him right back to his side.

With screaming in between.

“Luffy!” Usopp yells once he’s snapped to Luffy’s side, secured and limp from the literal jet coaster. “Ah, did you get Iga--” 

Usopp freezes mid speech.

Luffy doesn’t say anything about it. He turns back toward the fighting in the distance, noting that it has visibly dwindled since. 

“Are there bombs around here, too?” Luffy asks, his voice more solemn than it has any right to be. The body on his shoulder grows colder, but he doesn’t look at it.

Usopp bites his lips, but he strangles out an answer, trying hard to compose himself.

“Yeah,” he says. “But you’ll be fine. Just take off your sandals.”

Luffy steps off his sandals, which Usopp picks up noting his lack of a free hand. The captain then shrugs his straw hat off his head, allowing Usopp to catch it. 

“Hold onto that just in case,” he says, almost without thought. “We gotta go now.”

Usopp covers his face with the hat so the frustrated tears could fall, but Luffy pretends to not notice.

-

(Mister Five’s ability to create intangible explosives never had an opportunity to shine last time around. The pair were always chasing after the Strawhats and coming one step behind, so he was reduced to head-on attacks, never utilizing his ability otherwise.)

(But he did so in the alcohol last time around, didn’t he? He bombed the sake they gave to the giants. Mister Five has always excelled at preparing traps like that, and Usopp had forgotten that.) 

(Usopp hasn’t underestimated an opponent in ages.)

(He grew overconfident, and that’s why this is happening.)

(They fucked up.)

(They fucked up, and they don’t know if Igaram’s going to make it.)


	30. of birds, burns, and broken compasses.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They drag themselves back together-- though a little charred and full of injuries much too early, the Strawhats regroup and get their next course of action planned out. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Zoro has bad luck with birds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I mentioned how much I love yall recently? T^T I love yall so much. Anywayyys! The absolutely lovely Perfusion has bestowed upon me this glorious [fanart](https://perfusio.tumblr.com/post/642228713225912320/nami-from-of-pop-greens-and-tangerines-by-%E3%82%B3%E3%82%B3%E3%83%80) of Nami and. And just look at it and try not to fall in love. It is beautiful and I cry in joy. 
> 
> This chapter is a beast that is 8k words long, just to wrap up Whiskey Peak. Next chapter we're spinning back to where we left off with the Whitebeards!

Zoro sighs. After defeating Miss Monday and cleaning up every other bounty hunter on the island, he found some booze and was just about to take a break. 

He ties his bandanna back around his arm.

Then he turns around and meets eyes with a large vulture perched two buildings away. 

For a second, he wonders if Kinoko got a growth spurt and found sunglasses. Then he perishes that thought as dumb, because this bird’s not exactly the same colour. 

Then the bird caws, loud and shrilly and-- damn that pierces his ears-- it takes flight, coming straight for Zoro. 

He notices the holsters on its back, round and like cannon barrels-- _shit, are those machine guns?!_ Zoro drops onto the ground just in time to avoid the gunfire.

He draws Kogatana, but the bird is too far away. _A ranged fighter, huh_. Troublesome one, since Zoro’s disadvantage has always been range. 

Swiftly, he runs past two more attempts at shooting him, and leaps off the corner of a building, swiping wide forward into the air.

But alas-- the butter knife is a butter knife. It didn’t have the range to fight a bird in the air. With a single flap of its wings, she’d gained even more height than before. 

And that’s when the bird drops something.

It’s a paper package, with a lit fuse at its end. 

Falling, his instincts scream. So he throws Kogatana, straight forward like one would a dart-- he blade sinks into the bird’s wing, and holds up an arm to block the explosion.

It’s not too damaging at all-- in fact, he’s passable as unharmed. A little burned, but just as bad as a sunburn, to be honest. 

He lands on the ground, coughing. 

The bird falls down beside him, rolls, and after chucking Kogatana out of its wing, it flies off in a hurry. It leaves behind the sack it was carrying, only focused on escape. 

Well, that was fine. 

“Yeah, you better not come back, you damn bird!” he spits. He’ll punch that thing the next time he sees it. If it wanted a drink, he could’ve asked! Not that Zoro would have shared or anything.

Zoro picks up Kogatana, wiping away the blood with the edge of his shirt. Heck, that was more effective than anything else he’s tried. Maybe he should just throw it from now on.

_(“Swordsmanship without grace is a weak sword.”)_

(He scoffs. This is more like clownery than grace, though.) 

“What’s with my luck with birds these days?” he mutters, irritated. 

Something gleams from the baggage it was carrying around. Curious if it was another weapon of some sort, he looks through it.

“What’s this? An hourglass? Oh wait, there’s no sand in it…”

He frowns.

“Some kinda weird compass?”

-

“Why did you protect me? You idiot!”

As soon as she could, Nami made a rain cloud. The buildings in the area were charred and licks of flame still peppered the area-- but the worst was over. So she was going to force a cloud into existence and douse them, and make sure they didn’t ignite again.

Then she pulled Gin off the ground and began to walk.

Her metal arm was now a colossal of heat, so Gin had to reach down and pick up Kinoko, cradling her within his arms in the gentlest way he has ever held anything. 

She sees his wounds-- which, strangely enough, weren’t as bad as she thought they would be-- and she quickly ran the first aid details in his head. 

“Seriously, all the boys in our crew are reckless! Do you even think?!” she snaps. 

“Yeah...” Gin mutters, his voice weak, “...ruined the jacket Sanji got for me.”

“That isn’t the--!!” Nami bites back her words, turning away. As idiotic as he was, Gin had always been the most careful of them. 

(And that jacket, though seemingly insignificant, meant a lot to Gin.)

“We’ll get you a new one,” she promises. “As long as you stay awake until we get somewhere safe.”

Gin scoffs at that. He holds Kinoko close to his chest, the bird’s unmoving figure much more worrying than his own state. She was breathing, though, so that was a relief. The stuff she was wearing is all broken down…

This was such a mess.

_But if he didn’t jump in front of Nami…_

“Your mark…” he says, and Nami looks over, not sure if she’d heard right. “Your Whitebeard mark would’ve been burned away.” 

He doesn’t see Nami’s expressions. 

But her voice was _shattered_ as she spoke again. 

It’s a heartbroken voice he hasn’t heard her use, ever-- and he almost looks up, wondering if she was hurt after all. He dismisses it, the numbness taking over as his mind struggles to remain conscious.

“Yeah,” a sniffle she tries and fails to hide. “Thanks, Gin.”

-

The explosions interrupt tea time. 

“There’s an awful lot of them,” Sanji notes, “think the gunpowder stores are blowing up? I’d say Gin’s up to something but he’s not the wasteful type.”

Miss Valentine sips on her tea again. “No, my partner just spent a lot of time setting up traps over there,” she informs, mindlessly, “he’s a Devil Fruit User.”

Vivi stiffens. 

(Traps?)

“A Devil Fruit User?” she asks, her voice cold.

Miss Valentine smiles, “yeah, Mister Five, the bomb human,” she says, “y’know, everything about him blows up? From a booger to spit to sweat. Leave that on a wall or a carpet, give it just a little scratch, and BOOM! Kyahaha!” 

“So if you’re here…”

“Then Mister Five should be cleaning up on Mister Eight, right?” Miss Valentine suggests. Her eyes weigh down strangely, as she watches the teacup on the table, tracing the edge with her nail almost in fascination. “I’ll have to deal with you soon, too, but I suppose I’ll wait for… huh? For some reason…” she sways, “I’m a little… sleepy.”

When she collapses unconscious on the table, Sanji panics.

“Huh? Miss Valentine??” 

“It’s fine,” Vivi says, her face steeled. “Don’t lean over, you’ll breathe it in too.”

And she stands up, pulling her coat over her clothes to mask the perfume until it wears off. A combination of truth serum and sleeping intoxicant always worked wonders in these situations, and she almost hates that she took this safe route this time. 

Because it took too long to knock her out. 

“Igaram’s in danger. We need to go,” she bites her bottom lip, looking down. She can’t falter, this is important. Too important. “We need to go, _now_. Carue!”

 _In danger_ was the optimistic outlook here. If he’s already been hit...

Sanji drapes a blanket over Miss Valentine. “Understood, Miss Wednesday. The meeting spot Nami-san decided on is just up ahead. Shall we go?”

The hastened steps were answer enough. They begin running, Sanji carrying a bag of pilfered food as they make their way forward.

And what they see isn’t great in any sense of the word.

-

* * *

-

Luffy had brought them out to a clearing right by the pier. It’s out in the open and hard to miss, so they had decided on this area to be the meeting spot rather than the Going Merry itself. 

Luffy didn’t particularly know this was the meeting spot-- it was just an open area that seemed convenient and lacking bomb traps, so he made his way over. 

Usopp immediately lays Igaram down, and begins working on the worst of the wound-- the leg. The possible wood and glass shards blown into his burn would have to come later-- Usopp couldn’t see enough to even dare try with those.

(He ignores the ever-growing burn under his feet. A bit of char won’t faze him.)

Usopp had just been done binding up Igaram’s leg stump when Miss Monday and Mister Nine shows up.

He’d immediately raised his slingshot-- because he’d left Kabuto on the ship like an idiot-- but he pauses when Luffy’s figure comes in between them.

“She’s fine! She’s not going to fight us,” Nine warns quickly-- “I’m sorry, but she’s got medical knowledge. Please let her help.”

Usopp slowly lowers his slingshot. Any help now is better than none. 

“I heard the situation,” Miss Monday says, sounding more out of breath than she should be-- she must’ve been running this whole way, then. “Please let me help.”

From a slight rustle in her hands, and the smell of something distinctly chemical-- Usopp guesses that she’s brought medical supplies. 

(Is she worried for Igaram? Well, they _were_ partners.)

“Help Usopp too,” Luffy says, to the sniper’s surprise. 

“Wha-- Igaram’s in more danger right now!” Usopp snaps.

“Usopp!” Luffy raises his voice, and Usopp winces. Miss Monday rushes forward, and crouches down before Usopp to look over Igaram’s wounds. “Just stay there until everyone else gets here.”

There was really no way Usopp could have said anything but a weak “yes Captain” in response. 

Mister Nine takes Usopp’s hands, warning him before peeling off the gloves to reveal the burns underneath. 

“Damn that Mister Five,” he hisses, retrieving the burn salve. It’s not as bad as Igaram’s so it should be fine. “He’s the biggest menace in this situation. Who knows how many more traps he’s got laid out for us all around the island.”

“There was a particularly big explosion over there just a moment ago,” Luffy points out. “Did this Five guy cause it too?” 

“Most probably.”

Mister Nine moves to wrap Usopp’s hands with bandages, but Usopp refuses.

“Save it for Igaram,” he says. 

Luffy doesn’t say anything. His voice is solid, resolved-- and deep in contemplation. It’s a stark difference from the jolly atmosphere from before, and Usopp hates it.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Frustrated, Usopp punches the wall. “I’m sorry. If only I saw this coming a little earlier and prepared instead of playing along--” 

“No… this oversight was mine.”

“Nami! Gin!” Luffy’s eyes widen, running forward as they emerged from the alley. He takes over to shoulder Gin forward. “Hey, are you alright-- Ennosuke’s hurt, too! Hey, Nine and Buff lady! Help them!”

Usopp looks up at the mention of Kinoko-- and his voice pulls toward Nami’s. 

Nami sees them-- and she winces terribly. “Igaram,” she whispers, the horror seeping deeply into her voice. “Is he…?”

“He’ll be fine,” Miss Monday says, “but he’s not waking any time soon.” She then steps forward, walking past her to take Gin and lay him down so she could see his injuries. 

“I’m fine. Weren’t you trying to kill us just a while ago?”

“Yeah, things have changed. Stay down!”

Gin is almost too easily coaxed into getting treated, and Mister Nine scrambles quickly to get the bird into his arms. 

All the stuff Kinoko used to wear was charred, bits stuck in fur and flesh. Nine winces, knowing it’ll be tough-- but he’s had to treat Carue’s injuries before, so he knows how to go about this to some degree. 

(This was all in all, a terrible situation. It was supposed to be quick-- slam some agents down, and run. There weren’t supposed to be casualties like this.)

All of these injuries are from land mines around the area, but the perpetrator, Mister Five himself, is already taken down. This was a battle won but war lost, and Nami and Usopp only had themselves to blame. 

_(After making that confident proclamation to Vivi, this is what happens? What a joke.)_

Her knees losing all energy, Nami falls to her knees, swearing under her breath. 

“I’m sorry,” she presses her hand into her face, “damn it, if we’d just-- if we’d just spent a moment taking this situation seriously, then this wouldn’t have--”

“Nami!” Luffy interrupts, almost furious. “And Usopp too! You just listen, both of you.”

When they turn to their captain, his eyes are wide and stern. Usopp couldn’t see it-- but he _felt_ it. The wave of something more authoritative than that, in the way Luffy always spoken to them in the most important of situations. 

“A pirate doesn’t regret what he’s decided to do!” Luffy says, “so don’t you dare feel guilty about it!”

Somehow, they feel like they’ve heard this before.

So, so long ago-- at some point-- it was common sense to their cause. But Usopp and Nami had both forgotten it.

_(Maybe that part of them died along with Luffy back then.)_

_(And here, Luffy was giving it back to them.)_

“He’s right,” Gin says, already sitting up, to the ire of Miss Monday who was still trying to get the bandages around his shoulder. “Last I heard, this is the future Pirate King’s ship,” he says, gesturing in Luffy’s direction. “If a dozen or two bombs are enough to take us down, we wouldn’t be here.”

_(This is the ship of the future Pirate King.)_

_(We go forward, no matter what happens. You know that.)_

_(Remember it now, you idiots?)_

Nami’s smile is shaky, but it’s not at all false. “Yeah,” she says, picking herself up. “I guess I’m just being stupid. My bad.”

When she looks at Usopp, there’s that half-smile on his face as he buries his eyes behind his forearm with a dry laugh.

“Yeah. Sorry about that captain,” he promises, feeling dumb all of a sudden for even being frustrated at something so superficial, “won’t happen again.” 

_(The crew may never understand the weight of the guilt that plagues Nami and Usopp.)_

_(This burden is theirs to carry and theirs to hold.)_

A pirate doesn’t linger on their regrets. They take them, haul them forward, no matter how many fingers they lose and how much blood they cough up on the way. They take everything in their lives and carry them onward, believing.

Usopp and Nami will have to learn how to do that all over again.

But really, everyone’s learning. They’re not alone.

(They’re not alone _anymore_.)

Usopp cradles Kinoko in his lap, the bird’s wings bandages and her breath shallow but stable. The ring hung around her other foot now-- the one it used to be on was broken, the poor girl-- the gold was a little charred, so he’ll have to apologize to Kaya one day. 

But Kinoko’s alive. Igaram is alive. Everyone’s a little battered, but they’re _alive_. 

And that’s what matters the most now.

_(Forget about everything else and just move on forward, because they will have time to cry when it’s over, right? And then they’ll have a banquet and they’ll laugh, and things will move on. And the world will go on.)_

_(With everyone in it this time.)_

-

“Nami-san!”

“Everyone!” 

All attention turns as more people come by, the most unharmed of their group. It’s great news, but not from their perspective.

Vivi comes in on Carue, Sanji right behind them. She gasps at the sight of her guard, “Igaram!” she runs forward, crouching down quickly, “Igaram!”

She doesn’t touch him, in fear of hurting _something_ , anything.

“He’ll be fine, Miss Wednesday. He’s stable,” Miss Monday assures her, finishing the wrap on Gin’s injuries.

Vivi’s shoulders ease a little-- but she bites her bottom lip, her demeanor strained.

“Nami-san! Are you okay, are you hurt?” Sanji says, quickly finding Nami first-- then his attention swirls. 

“No, I’m fine,” Nami says. 

Usopp sighs. Then, with his best imitation of a deep tenor, he goes, “oh Usopp and Gin! Are you alright?” then back to his normal voice but in a happier pitch, “of course we are. Thanks for worrying.”

Gin fixes him a judgemental look. Sanji’s similar look is unimpressed in all standards. “If you can joke around, then I’ll assume you’re fine,” Sanji concludes. He then finds Kinoko and cringes, “even the shitty bird got hit? She’s not dead, right?”

“Nope.”

Luffy laughs at that interaction. Then he notices the super spot-billed duck. “Ooh! Ennosuke got all big!” he exclaims, excited. Carue stares at him, completely offended. 

“Luffy, Kinoko is over here,” Usopp deadpans. 

Luffy looks at Kinoko, then at Carue. Then at Kinoko, and at Carue again. Like he needs another moment, he looks at them again.

Then he realizes, like a genius, “Ennosuke’s mom?!”

Nami smacks him right over the head, and Carue does so with his bird wing a second after that. Vivi watches them, and a resigned smile lifts her spirits just a little.

It was so ridiculous. 

She holds Igaram’s hand in hers, and holds it close to her face in prayer. He’ll be fine-- he’s breathing, he’s alive-- he’s injured, but it’ll be alright. 

Now, there’s something more important to do.

“Please take care of him, Miss Monday and Mister Nine,” she says. They look at her, and she lowers her head. “I’m so sorry it’s come to this. And thank you so much for still helping us. We don’t deserve your aid in the slightest.”

To her surprise, they smile back at her.

“Well, we were going to be killed anyway, since we failed our mission,” Mister Nine says. “I’d much rather go down helping you, you know?”

Miss Monday is much the same. “I owe Mister Eight a great deal from our starting days. This is barely enough to make up for all he’s done for me.”

Vivi feels like crying. How is it that these people, working for a criminal organisation, are making themselves sound like the best, most kind-hearted people she’s ever met?

She sniffles, but wipes away the tears immediately.

“So you’re Vivi right?” Luffy asks. When she nods, he hums in acknowledgement, “Well, I kinda promised the Chikuwa-Ossan that I’d take you home. It’s what we were planning anyways, but we’re serious about doing it this time, alright?”

He aims the last part at Gin particularly. 

It’s a clear callback to their previous conversation-- and Luffy was asking for his approval. No-- Luffy was asking for his _acknowledgement_ , because he wasn’t going to accept any form of a refusal now.

Gin shrugs. “I’m reduced to this, Captain,” he says, making a show of all the bandages on him. “Go to hell if you think I’m running before I get them back tenfold.”

“I already took down Mister Five, though,” Nami reminds him.

“Then I’ll take down whoever's higher up, obviously,” Gin seethes. 

Luffy grins at that. Looks like everyone’s on board now, at least in the crew! Their aim now was clear-- they were going to bring Vivi to Alabasta, no matter what. 

For some reason, when Vivi sees Luffy’s smile, all her worries seem to fade to a back-burner in her mind.

She looks at Miss Monday, and then Mister Nine-- they’re resolved, having nowhere else to go. Of course they would stay-- they would take care of Igaram. And they were, wordlessly, assuring her that Igaram would be safe in her hands. 

Finally, she turns to the captain. 

“I’ll be counting on you, Luffy-san,” she says. “And everyone else on the Straw Hat crew as well. I’ll pay you back however you would need me to-- but please take me back to my kingdom.”

She would go on without Igaram, because that is what she should be doing now. 

The crew grins back at her, determination rising in their hearts. After being injured this far, there was no way they were going to go down without a fight.

“We’re already targets, anyways,” Nami says in a teasing manner, “if you still weren’t willing, we’d have just kidnapped you!”

Vivi stares back in horror as the navigator giggles.

“Can we go now?” Gin asks, as if he isn’t mortally wounded, “we’re still being chased.”

“Of course we’re being chased, Gin,” Usopp says. “We’re leaving openly on purpose so they’ll come after us. We’re drawing them _away_ from this island.”

Because otherwise, they would attack Igaram. So they had to escape in haste and make them think all they had to pursue was Vivi. There’s a great chance they think Igaram’s dead, anyways. What better way to throw them off the rails? 

“Since Gin looks medium rare now, I’ll go steal a jacket somewhere. Gimme a second.”

“Who did you just call medium rare you asshole?!”

“Ah Sanji-kun! Get some medical supplies too if you find any!” 

“And sake, please.”

“I only listen to Nami-san’s orders. And since when were _you_ a sake drinker, Usopp?”

“It’s a painkiller. Don’t overestimate my pain tolerance. The adrenaline is running out.”

“Usopp, no.”

“Well then Sanji-kun, no smoking either.”

“Ehhhhh?!”

Luffy laughs at the crew’s bickering in the background, and Vivi can’t help but sigh. They were so nonchalant that it was frustrating, but she supposes it helped her calm down, so she couldn’t even be mad. 

“Ah, please take this,” Vivi says, taking out a compass and setting it on the ground. “When Igaram awakens and becomes well enough to sail, he can use this to return to our country.”

“Ohh, an Eternal Pose!” Mister Nine says, “I’ll take care of it for sure.”

“That won’t be soon, though,” Miss Monday says. “And how will you guys make it there?”

“It’s fine, we’ll follow the log. I’ve heard from Igaram before, that it should be just a few islands away,” Vivi assures, “please make sure he’s fully recovered.”

(And hopefully, the war will be over by then, too.)

Luffy beams at that. “Chikuwa-Ossan’s a strong guy, so he won’t die from just this!” he says. “Hey Nami, can we go?” 

Nami, who was in the middle of bickering over how recovering patients shouldn’t drink sake and burn victims shouldn’t be near cigarette smoke, gets distracted. “Oh right, the log is set, so we can set off any time!”

Luffy raises his hands happily.

“Alright men!” he declares, “time to set out!”

With a proclamation of agreement from all of them, and a fond look of slight envy from Miss Monday and Mister Nine, they get ready to go.

-

* * *

-

“We’ll take Mister Eight to the safehouse,” the two former Baroque Works agents say, turning toward the now-ruined town. “Godspeed, Miss Wednesday.”

Vivi bows in gratitude once more. “You as well, Miss Monday and Mister Nine.”

They turn around, and they walk away.

_(They have nowhere else to go. That’s the kind of organisation Baroque Works is, after all-- you don’t run away, you work there, die there. There’s no quits.)_

_(They failed, so there’s no helping it. They would’ve lost their place someday.)_

_(But in hindsight, if Vivi was never an element of this situation, they would still be working, and succeeding. So Vivi’s responsible for their failures, in a way.)_

“If--” she speaks abruptly, desperation in her voice, “once all of this is over…” 

Her voice is stuck in her throat. But she braves through it.

“Come to Alabasta, when the war ends,” she tells them, the promise and authority seeping through her voice. “I will do everything in my power to repay this debt to you.”

They face her, a confident smile on their faces.

“I’ll hold you onto that, then,” Miss Monday says. 

Mister Nine cheekily adds, “a warm meal would be nice. You’re a princess, so I expect one grand feast at our welcome!” 

Vivi chuckles at that. It was so obnoxiously optimistic, but it was fine. As low as they were on the luck scale, there was nowhere to look but up. 

“Consider it done,” Vivi promises, more hopeful than anything she’s had the liberty to say recently, “come on at any time. The gates of the palace will always be open for you.” 

Almost like a dam on the other side of the road had finally broken, they sob, running forward for a parting hug.

“Stay safe, alright?”

Vivi doesn’t cry, but she holds them as close as her small arms can bring, and prays.

-

“Wait, where’s Zoro?!”

Almost like whiplash, everyone synchronously realized that they were missing a member of their crew. No wonder the anchor wasn’t raised. _Where’s Zoro?!_

“Do we have time to go look for him?” Gin mutters defeatedly. He was sitting down by the stairs, too numb to move. Kinoko lay on his lap, because he’s immobile and thus sentenced to bird perch duty. 

“Can’t we just leave him?” is Sanji’s unheard input from the crow’s nest. 

“He’s probably lost again,” Nami sighs. She can’t sense him anywhere at all-- where did Zoro go? Where even _can_ he have possibly gone? And what the hell was he doing instead of coming back to the ship? “Usopp, can you find him with Haki?” 

The sharpshooter makes a whining sound, “can’t, I’m at my limit,” he presses his face into the bow, seemingly in the midst of a very bad migraine. 

Nami pinches the bridge of his nose. Guess they have to do this the slow way. 

“Uhm, if possible,” Vivi offers, “Carue can run really fast.” The bird looks at her, scandalised at the aspect of being nominated for work. 

Instead of taking that suggestion, Usopp beckons his captain over. “Luffy?”

“What?” Luffy looks over, along with every other curious head in the crew.

Usopp doesn’t even look up as he points in a random direction toward the island. “Just run really hard that way,” he says, “and keep yelling something.”

Luffy blinks for a second. Then he jumps off the ledge, “okay!”

“Okay?!” Nami and Vivi echo at the same time. 

But Luffy is gone in a whirlwind and a trail of dust, screaming “ZOROOOOOOO!!!!” as he went, “ZORO WHERE AREEEEEEEEEE YOUUUUUUUUUU?!”

Nami deadpans, very impressed, “well, that works.”

Gin doesn’t bother to retort. “What were you trying to do there?”

Usopp finally stretches and stands up, ready to face the world again as his headache dies down and he gets used to the dull throb. “Well, haven’t you heard?” he says, exuding the air of more regality than he has any right to be, “the easiest way to find a lost child is, to _become_ a lost child.”

And he leaves that sentence there to explain itself. 

Gin manages an exasperated, “ah.”

Sanji makes a face. “It makes so little sense, that the unbelievability is exactly why it works.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Usopp returns. 

“Well, you know what they say,” Nami shrugs, resigned, “let the blind lead the blind and you’ll find your way to Raftel and back.”

Gin judges her very hard. “I have genuinely _never_ heard of that idiom, Nami, and I do not want to understand what it means.” 

They already have no idea where the captain is. Look away for a second and he’s already vanished, not even a speck in the distance. Usopp had told him to run in a vague direction, so why did he make turns?

“Huh? Luffy-san’s not shouting anymore,” Vivi notices, turning to the city.

Right on cue, Luffy’s very loud screaming starts again. “EVERYOOOOONE!!! I FOUND ZOROOOOO!!”

Jaws drop.

“You are _kidding_ ,” Gin denies reality.

Nami pinches the bridge of her nose for just another long minute. Then she turns away, deciding she’d rather not think about it. 

Sanji, already tired of this, follows to help her as they begin to navigate along the cove.

Vivi and Carue, for one, are absolutely speechless. 

“What are you guys waiting for? Go get him,” Usopp says, “why do you think I told him to keep shouting? He doesn’t know the way back.”

-

“Oh hey, Ennosuke Mama!” Luffy greets as Carue finds them.

The spot-billed duck, seemingly at the end of his-- _HIS_ \-- patience for this awfully deliberate misnaming, smacks the captain right across the head and into the pavement.

“Ennosuke Mama?” Zoro echoes, confused. 

They both flinch back when Carue hisses sharply, expressing his very specific feelings with large wing flaps and threats of a body slam that would probably hurt a lot more than Kinoko’s ever did. The boys are not a fan of that idea. 

“It’s a huge Ennosuke!” Luffy explains.

“It’s an ostrich,” is Zoro’s very confidently wrong statement. “They’re like, cousins.”

Carue, seemingly giving up on explanation in the rush, hurriedly points at the ship, which is already sailing away in the distance.

Luffy and Zoro gawks, “they’re leaving without us!”

So they start sprinting again.

Carue, realizing they don’t know he’s here to be a steed, has to chase after them with an undignified squawk of _‘you’re not supposed to be faster than me?! HELLO?!’_ but in bird.

(Then a second later, Carue has to double back and grab Zoro because for some reason he turned left on a straight road.)

The next, furious part of the race is a loud and screaming mad dash for the ship between Luffy and Carue, who has Zoro in his beak. Like rabid animals, they just screech and run like there’s nothing else they know how to do, at an abnormally equal pacing-- then they kick off the harbor and try to jump their way thirty feet onto the ship.

Obviously, they don’t make it. 

Bird and monkey (plus one Zoro along for the ride) smack right into the side of the hull, and in idiotic tandem, they fall into the sea.

Two minutes later there’s a fuming, very annoyed Zoro on the deck as he drags two near-drowned cretins out of the water. There are little things that make him feel more humiliated in his life. 

The crew’s next trial is finding ways to stop Zoro from slicing them to utter bits.

“Move aside Nami I swear to _hell_ gonna make bird stew out of it!”

“No Mosshead, you’ll ruin the meat,” Sanji says, “just butcher it. _I’ll_ do the cooking.”

“We are NOT cooking Ennosuke Mama!” Luffy protests.

“His name is Carue, and he is not a mother bird!” Vivi corrects him, because that misnomer is really getting on Carue’s nerves and she would like her bird to be respected, thank you very much. 

“Emergency food supply,” Gin offers vaguely, to which Carue makes offended noises.

And the banter goes on. Nami checks the log pose, wondering when would be a good time to tell them to cut it out so they can actually start adjusting things to start sailing toward their course. 

She doesn’t need to, though.

A new voice interrupts their atmosphere, speaking in a suave, feminine tone that sounds painfully familiar for her, and strangely foreign to the others. 

“Try to watch out for the rocks on the way out. The fog makes it rather tricky to navigate, I hear.” 

All movement on the deck freezes. 

Nico Robin smiles down at them from the ledge. “And of course, congratulations on your successful escape. I must say I’m rather impressed.”

Nami thought she was prepared to see her again.

(She wasn’t.)

-

**Things only went wrong after Luffy’s execution. There was a moment of peace, of course. Then chaos burned through the ropes that held the balance of the world, and everything began to turn.**

**_(More than half of them were lost to the waves of the new era, and each step was only a bigger ripple in the endlessly growing madness of the world.)_ **

**_(Countless times, Nami wondered if some being up above could just throw the rains over the sea for years, until the world was rid of life. That would be preferable, wouldn’t it?)_ **

**The only Strawhats all had places they wanted to be in.**

**Jinbei stood firm at the gates of Fishman Island; Zoro lingered in suburbs of Wano; Usopp led the troops of Elbaf; Robin planted the seed to a new Tree of Knowledge, and watched it grow with a tribe of people she had grown to love.**

**But in the new era, the existence of those that could read the Ponegylphs were even more of a threat than before. Needless to say-- they couldn’t allow her to live.**

**Robin was burned, like a witch hunt.**

**The civilians of the very island she had proudly spoken of each time they were in contact-- the people she gave her very scarce love toward, and spent the last of her life with-- they were the ones to do the deed.**

**_(Robin had probably seen that sort of ending to her life from the start.)_ **

**_(Just like how Sanji never managed to escape the stigma of Germa-- some things will always haunt you, even if the nightmares have long gone away.)_ **

-

The interaction with Miss All-Sunday is cathartic. 

Nami finds herself listening. And listening-- and, for some reason, she didn’t feel like she was there at all.

_“She’s Mister Zero’s partner…”_

_“It’s one hell of a pretty lady!”_

_“Huh? So she’s a good guy?”_

She was just listening, and things were happening, and she wasn’t responding to it at all. Her eyes were fixed on the young and cheerful, carefully masked expressions on Robin’s face, and Nami’s breaths were suppressed by a pressurizing weight.

_“Oh, so she’s not a good guy.”_

_“Miss All-Sunday! What a beautiful name.”_

_“Sanji, be quiet. Someone get me my tonfas.”_

_“Medium Rare should just sit down.”_

_“Stop calling me that!”_

_“Miss All-Sunday… what are you planning?!”_

_“This sure is one lively crew, isn’t it?” Miss All-Sunday chuckles at the sight. “Now, now… Miss Wednesday, it won’t do for you to get so worked up. I don’t come here on orders, nor do I have reasons to stop you here or fight.”_

Robin’s smile was pulled firm, and yet it held no joy at all. Just the amusement of things going well or not, and the even stable look in her eyes that always meant she was internally calculating the advantages and disadvantages of a situation.

From all the time she’s spent with Nami and all the time she spent screaming for Luffy from beyond the grave, she wants nothing but to run forward and engulf her in a hug. 

_(Hold her close and tell her to promise, emptily, that she’ll never lose her place to be again. That she’ll stay with her to the end of time and she will stick to that vow this time.)_

_(But Nami can’t do that now.)_

_(She has to wait, again.)_

A gun clicks behind Miss All-Sunday, and all eyes turn in horror to see Usopp, standing by the open door of the galley, a pistol pointed right at the woman’s head.

Nami snaps back into reality.

They have no idea when the sniper got around them or where he acquired the gun, but there was genuine alarm in all of them, almost more so than for the intruder herself. 

(If that had been anyone else before the barrel of the gun, would Usopp have hesitated?)

“Common pirate code has it that you should always ask for permission before you board a ship, miss,” Usopp says. His finger isn’t on the trigger, but the barrel is still aimed right at the back of her skull. “You’ve got _terrible_ manners, if I might say. Don’t you think so as well, Nami-kun?”

Nami is almost taken aback, then she realizes what he’s doing.

(The deep, confident snark, just a step away from sarcasm-- and the honorific, of course-- those were plays of Sogeking.)

(Usopp, too, wanted nothing more than to have her by their side again. Like Nami-- he couldn’t hold back. But in the off chance that this wasn’t their Robin-- they could ruin everything forever. So they had to make sure, first.)

(And as always, turning to his alter ego was his way of acting strong.)

Miss All-Sunday, understandably, is entirely unimpressed. 

“Would you mind not pointing such dangerous things at me?” 

Usopp knew it was coming, but nothing could have prepared him for the way the gun was _slapped_ out of his hands, soaring high into the sky and landing somewhere-- judging by the crunch of leaves-- in the midst of the tangerine trees.

And then, his arm is taken, bent-- and his feet leave the ground.

A moment of frightening vertigo, a horrifying loss of his bearings-- and Usopp crashes awkward and painful against the deck right by everyone else. 

“A devil fruit!” Zoro realizes immediately.

“What sort of power is that?” 

“It’s not like Luffy’s or that Marine’s back in Loguetown…” 

Nami is less concerned about those things. “Hey, Usopp!” she hurries over.

Usopp clambers quickly to his hands and feet, fearfully orienting himself with the horizontal line of the deck once again. He doesn’t look up for a moment, having been completely thrown off his acclimatization. 

“Ah my,” Miss All-Sunday says, lightly surprised, “I was expecting you to break your fall. My apologies, I didn’t mean to do that.” 

To anyone else, that would sound like the sarcastic snark of a witch. 

(And perhaps, that isn’t far from the truth at all.)

And Luffy doesn’t take that lightly. “Hey!” he says, voice raised, “I don’t know what you’re trying to do or who even _are_ you, but--”

He doesn’t finish that sentence. 

In the next moment, his hat lifts from his head, and flings over the air, landing smoothly in Miss All-Sunday’s hands. 

Something inside of him snaps, but he suppresses it, feet planted firmly on the ground as a glare tightens around his eyes. “Hey! Give that back!” he yells, fists tight against his side. “Are you trying to pick a fight?!” 

“No, not at all,” she says, contradictorily placing the straw hat on top of her own in jest. “In fact, I came to warn you. If you follow the direction of that Log Pose, you and your ragtag crew will never reach Alabasta. I won’t have to do anything at all.”

“Wha-- that’s not true!” Vivi exclaims, “if we follow the log, we should reach Alabasta in due time. Even if the road is tough--”

“Tough won’t be enough to describe the island just ahead of you,” Miss All-Sunday tells her, amusement rising past her lips, “it’s called ‘Little Garden’, and I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”

She directs the last part specifically at Nami. 

“Little Garden?” Vivi asks. She hasn’t heard of that place at all.

“It doesn’t sound so dangerous,” Sanji says, “little and all.”

“Somehow, I feel like I’ve heard of it before…” Gin mutters. 

Nami stands up. Usopp holds her forearm in a way to get himself back to gravity, and he’s careful as Nami hands him off to Sanji. The Navigator, hands on her hips, sets her eyes firmly on the woman above. 

“Sure, I’ve heard of it. It’s more trouble than it's worth taking now, so we’ll definitely meet some trouble. We might even die,” she says, to the horror of a few crew members who react loudly. 

Luffy, however, fixed a stern eye on her. He’s not afraid-- he’s patient, waiting for her next words.

So Nami delivers, knocking a fist at her own chest. “But if we weren’t prepared for that much, we wouldn’t be pirates! One scary island or a dozen is nothing to be afraid of!”

She’s well-rewarded by Luffy’s responsive grin. 

“Uhm Nami, I think I’ll be scared of a dozen,” Usopp supplies, to which Nami hisses at him to be quiet. 

Gin sighs in the distance, and Zoro scoffs. Sanji is mere steps away from proclaiming his undying love once again-- but Vivi looks on, in awe.

(She doesn’t think she'll ever stop being impressed by these pirates.)

Miss All-Sunday’s expressions, just a little, mirrors Vivi’s. Muted awe, a faint hint of doubt-- and a stunned demeanor. Unlike the princess however, she gathers herself, retrieving an Eternal Pose from her side. 

“Well, here is a token for your rather daunting performance,” she says. “A penny for your troubles. This leads to Nanimonai Island, located just two logs before Alabasta.” 

Vivi catches it with surprise. She hadn’t heard of this island either, but if this was a shortcut-- then it was vital. They needed all the time they could get, after all.

She looks hopefully at Nami, who, upon catching her gaze, simply shrugs in a rather impartial manner. 

(She’s right-- Nanimonai Island, according to Nami’s future charts, would only need one more checkpoint to reach Alabasta’s waters. If they followed the Little Garden route, they would need a few more, not including the year it takes to even set from there.) 

(But the objectively correct matters don’t count here.)

Zoro hums. “Sounds like a trap.”

“Like hell we can trust that,” Gin hisses. “You have nothing to gain from giving us anything that could help us. For all we know that could just send us somewhere with more traps laid out than here.”

“Oh, I wonder?” Miss All-Sunday challenges. “I’m sure the girl in the metal arm might have something to say about your doubts.”

They click their tongues. Nami, for one, shrugs in defeat. She isn’t wrong, after all, and she tells them all the same.

Vivi bites her bottom lip. _Maybe they should eat their pride here and--_

Luffy doesn’t hesitate. Snatching the Eternal Pose from her, he makes a show of proving its position within his hand-- before shattering it.

As every other man on deck reacts with sheer aghast _horror_ , Nami bursts into laughter. Usopp chuckles as well.

_(“Huh?! You broke the Eternal Pose to Raftel?!”)_

_(“Yeah, I did!”)_

“Wha--!! Luffy! What are you thinking?!” Sanji exclaims.

“It doesn’t matter!” Luffy declares, his glare spinning forward and firmly burning into Miss All-Sunday’s figure. “I’m the Captain of this ship-- don't for a second think that _you_ have a right to decide our course!”

And it’s just like the first time they’ve heard it. Well, for Nami, this felt like the first time, since she never really appreciated it the first time around.

His proclamation spills a warmth right into their chests, filling them with a bursting sense of joy that they can’t help but reciprocate.

It’s so addictive, and yet people wonder why they stay with him.

(Who wouldn’t stay, really?)

“Well, I don’t dislike bold men,” Miss All-Sunday returns, highly amused. She takes the straw hat off her head and tosses it back toward Luffy, who catches it with controlled anger. “Let us meet again, then, if you should survive.”

“I don’t wanna!” Luffy says, annoyed.

And so, Miss All-Sunday leaves the ship, riding on the back of a large sea turtle as they casually make their way across the vigorous seas of the Grand Line.

-

“That woman… I have no idea what she’s even thinking!” Vivi despairs. “She’s so unpredictable, I”m just losing my mind!” 

“Well, sounds like someone I know,” Zoro scoffs.

Nami chuckles at that. “Well, it’s probably a waste of time to try and think about it, then.”

“Hey Nami, is Little Garden really dangerous?” Gin says, slowly sitting down again. 

“Yeah, but the island itself shouldn’t be a problem,” Nami checks the Log Pose. “There’s a copy of Brag Men in the women’s room if you want a refresher.” 

“Brag Men? You mean, Louis Arnote?” Gin asks. Then it clicks. “Wait a second, that book only has logs of outrageous islands!”

Usopp nods, “that's why we call this the Grand Line, Gin!”

Gin stares for a moment before he slumps against the railing, “she was right. We’re all going to die.”

Usopp smiles, “now that’s the spirit!”

Vivi, collapsing to her knees, breathes out in a conflicted mixture of relief and weak-kneed fear. “I… I’m sorry to have gotten you guys caught up in this. I’ve done nothing but cause trouble.”

“We don’t care about that, Vivi!” Nami grins at her. Shrugging in the general direction of Luffy, “look at our captain. It’s the last thing on his mind.”

Luffy huffs, not even registering the conversation as he makes his childishly angry way up the steps toward the galley. “It’s morning! Sanji, food!” he demands. 

“Right, right,” Sanji says. 

“Let’s at least get out of the islands perimeters, everyone!” Nami announces, “don’t forget that we’re trying to lead them out of the island before we lose them.”

“Aye Nami-swan! Heard that rubber bastard? Get the sails first.”

“Ehhhhh?! Okay…” 

Zoro sighs, leaning against the mast in a sort of resignation. “What a day,” he mutters, looking as if he was ready to go right in for another nap.

Seemingly remembering something, he retrieves an object from his sash. It looks identical to the thing Luffy just destroyed, so do they not need this either?

_(Hm? There’s something written on it. Ala… ba…)_

“Wait wait wait WAIT!” 

Nami’s sudden loud exclamation catches the entire ship off guard. 

Zoro looks up, only to flinch back as Nami marches, wide eyed and stiltedly up to him like some sort of long-legged zombie. 

Then she points, arms trembling so hard it’s jumping, “wha-- ZORO!” Her hands, both of them, juts right out and grabs Zoro’s with all the determination of a shrewd businessman finding an unheard-of antique. 

(Zoro will deny that he flinched.)

“Where did you get this?!” Nami barks.

That’s when the rest of the crew sees it, and they all let out similar exclamations of shock at it. “No way!” is Sanji, “is that a--?!”

“What is it?” Usopp asks, but no one answers him. “Guys, I’m blind,” he reminds the air, to which no one replies again. A second later, he mutters defeatedly, “okay then I’ll just stay here and be confused. Don’t worry about me.”

“What are you so heated up for?!” Zoro exclaims defensively, absolutely not because Nami is freaking him out. “I fought some bird on the roof and it dropped it! That good enough an explanation for you?”

“Yes you absolute glorious bastard,” Nami grounds out, in the most impressed sailor slang Usopp has ever heard her use. It sounds more like something Sanji would say. “Consider this half of your debt to me paid.”

“Huh?” Zoro doesn’t think he heard it properly. “HUH?!”

And she takes the object from him, happily showing it off to Vivi, “look! Zoro found us an Eternal Pose to Alabasta!”

“Woooah!” Luffy exclaims, awfully impressed.

“The stray moss actually did something useful?!” because Sanji obviously sees this as a chance to pick a fight.

“Wait, WHAT?!” Usopp yells, equally confused and shocked all at once. “An Eternal Pose to-- wait, what?!”

“You are _kidding_ ,” Gin hisses to the background. “What the everloving _fuck_ kind of luck is this crew blessed with?’

Vivi, however, is tearfully over the moon. “I can’t believe this! We can make it to Alabasta after all…”

“Seriously, why didn’t you take this out earlier?” Nami asks, though she’s not expecting an answer. “Now we’ve got our route problem fixed! All that’s left is to lose our pursuers, and we can head straight to Vivi’s home!”

“YEAH!” 

It was splendid news. 

“Wait, how are we going to lose them?” Usopp asks. “They can’t know that we have the Eternal Pose, right? They’d just head straight to Alabasta if they knew.”

“Yeah, we have to actually defeat them or we’ll never get anywhere,” Sanji sighs. “Not here though. Too many bombs.”

Vivi nods. This would be an away game for them. “And they’ll be sending stronger agents after us, too.” Making a chase would give them time to convene, but would also give us time to recover. “We can’t just head straight for Alabasta-- we’ll be surrounded and outnumbered instantly.”

(Even last time around, they only made it there safely because Sanji did something to throw them off their rails. If they skip Little Garden, none of that can happen.)

“Obviously, we’re going to go to the next island and confront them there!” Luffy declares. “We’re following the log, everyone!” 

Terror befalls the ship for, not counting anymore how many times that hour, Gin’s a second away from fainting and he's not sure if it’s just the pain of his wounds anymore. 

“But we just found a way to _avoid_ going there!”

“Isn’t it like, super dangerous? We might die!”

“So?” Luffy challenges, “it smells like adventure. Let’s go!”

“I give up…”

Nami punctuates with a loud laugh. “Well, you heard our captain!” she says, taking the Eternal Pose and setting it aside. 

“Captain’s orders!” Luffy declares, almost cheekily at this point. Everyone despairs, but the smiles that grace their faces right after is fond, even from Gin.

Vivi finds herself joining in the resigned smiles as well, if only out of exasperation than anything else. Maybe just a little, she found herself enjoying the madness of the situation, too.

(And that was fine.)

Usopp leans against the mast, and the ease in his shoulders is strained, but full of fondness. The words escape him like a breath after a run, his head tilting just a little in Nami’s direction, his haki curling toward her almost needily. 

“Terrible, isn’t he?”

Nami looks over, and her eyes soften in an almost bittersweet way.

“No,” she says, the words they both had been starved for, yet probably won’t have the chance to hear much of ever again. “He’s the _worst_.”

_(“I’m here with you.”)_

_(And though it's hard to remember sometimes, everyone else is with you, too.)_


	31. some parallels of brotherhood.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aladine arrives at the Whitebeards' ship, and learn the identity of the apparent 'traitor' in their midst. 
> 
> They don't confront him.  
> They lure him to them.

That night, just before the Straw Hat crew left Arlong Park, Nami approached Aladine with an important message that sent Aladine on a long swim across the seas. 

_ (“I have a plan.”) _

Aladine surfaces, knocking twice on the hull of the Moby Dick. It’s fair weather in midday, where most of the crew should be present on deck. 

“Captain Whitebeard. Permission to come aboard?”

“Come on up, Aladine. We’ve been expecting you.”

_ (“The Commanders, the members that have been in the crew for decades, the alliance captains that are present… make sure as many people hear you.”) _

Aladine gives Marco a cursive nod, and meets eyes with the unfamiliar yet not at all unrecognizable figure on the ship-- with a top hat, blonde hair, and haki of great notoriety-- Aladine is surprised to see the Revolutionary’s second in command.

She only mentioned she had a contact down the line-- she didn’t mention he was the chief of staff, of all people. 

But he composes himself. 

“Nami has contacted me with a request,” he says, carefully phrasing his words as he brings up a casual smile onto his face. “She says it’s very urgent.”

“A request?” Thatch echoes, curious. “That’s rare.”

Rare indeed. It’s almost unheard of, and for those that knew her personally, it was almost strange to hear. 

Everything they’ve ever done for Nami was quite literally coaxed onto her, from the mark to the arm to the occasional help in physical therapy, everything except the initial request for Jinbei to save her island. 

For her to send such an important message, only for it to be something as simple as a request? Now this better be some world-breaking help.

“Gurararara!” Whitebeard laughs, the incredulity the least surprising thing in the world, as far as he knows. “Well, that’s alright. I’ll always be willing to go to extreme lengths for my daughter.”

Someone scoffs, probably Whitey, “well isn’t that true.”

The crew erupts with laughter. 

Sabo stays still and patient. His shoulder is caught by Ace’s arm, and he still rubs moodily at the large bump on his head. 

_ (“It’s better for you to ascertain for yourself than for me to tell you,” Nami had said. “You’ve always been more sensitive to wavelengths and intentions than the average person. Koala’s like that too.”) _

_ (Aladine had to whirl back in alarm, the sake leaving his lips, immediately sobered. “Wha-- how do you know that name?”) _

_ (No one spoke of Koala in the presence of Nami. Bringing up their similarities would be poor conversation, so they agreed on only spilling at a later date.) _

_ (And yet Nami snickered, as if she knew so much more. “That’s beside the point, Aladine! Now, back to the plan.”) _

“She’s looking for a Devil’s Fruit,” Aladine says, closing his eyes. His arms are crossed before him-- and subtly, so subtly-- he expands. “It’s called the Yami-Yami no Mi, and she knows where it is.”

The reactions in the crew are a spectrum. 

“Nami wants a fruit, huh…”

“Girl with a metal arm, a Whitebeard mark, and a devil fruit! She’s brewing up to be one crazy individual alright.”

“What next, challenging a Shichibukai?”

“Hey hey, you read the news. She’s not the captain of her new crew, so she can’t do that.” 

“Unless her new captain is even  _ bigger _ of a nutcase!”

“Yami-Yami no Mi, huh… sounds like an eerie one alright.”

“Think it’s like the Kage-Kage?”

Some are wary. The name indicates a possible logia, the direct juxtaposition of Kizaru’s-- but that was just an assumption. Mostly, it’s curiosity, and confusion. Nami had never expressed interest in fruits before-- she was a navigator and lone sailor, after all. She valued her ability to swim greatly. 

And yet, just one voice flickered sharply. 

So, so sharply, Aladine had to resist the urge to flinch.

It’s so sudden, someone who had been paying less attention would have dismissed it as someone being briefly surprised at a familiar term. But this is different.

(Aladine felt it hundreds of times, back on Mariejois. The flare of a good (bad) idea, a lick of a heart that could only be darker than darkness-- an evil desire.)

(On a pirate ship, that shouldn’t be a strange thing. They are pirates, after all. Murder and pillage are things that happen on a day-to-day, it’s almost frowned upon to go against that cruel demeanor when things don’t necessitate it.)

(However, this is Whitebeard’s ship, and there are strict rules. It’s already gone, doused by the mask of an ever-perfected act-- but the timing confirmed every suspicion he had.)

“Well,” Aladine speaks up, feigning his smile so the perpetrator wouldn’t notice his strained shoulders. “Let’s talk about the details in the mapping room, shall we? I have the coordinates, but I have no ideas where that could ever be without the skills of a navigator.”

Marco steps forward. “Of course. All Commanders, with us. Everyone else who’s here using their time to gawk instead of doing their chores, you’ve got a second to scram!”

In mere moments, the deck erupts in chaos, and all hands either return to their brooms, pretend to look out into the horizon, or go under the deck.

Including the voice that flickered.

-

Aladine finds himself in the navigation room, arms crossed and brows furrowed. 

The door closes on them, and all commanders turn their eyes to Aladine.

“So Nami wants a fruit?” Whitebeard asks to lead.

“No, that was a lie,” Aladine says. 

None of the commanders are at ease. They are all aware, with clear context clues, that the story of Nami wanting a Devil Fruit is clear bullshit. A clearly crafted story only meant to subvert the attention of the target of Sabo’s message-- the apparent ‘traitor’.

“It’s Teach.”

When he finally breaks the news, he braces himself for some sort of backlash. And it does come, in the form of Ace’s furious exclamation.

“Wha-- that’s impossible!” Ace slams his hands against the table. 

“Ace,” Marco warns him against lashing out, because they’re in a particularly burnable room at the moment. “I’m sure he can explain himself.”

(Nami had really given him a risky job, hasn’t she?)

Aladine sighs. “Her exact words are as such:” he decides to start from the beginning. “There is someone on this ship that has his allegiances set a step below his goals. In the case of either coinciding, there’s no doubt which he would cast aside.”

Ace’s gaze is sharpened in the most heated of tempers. 

As disbelieving as this is-- he can’t find himself thinking past his anger to even try to acknowledge it.  _ Teach has been on their crew for much longer than almost half the crew! There’s no way he… _

(But Nami has no reason to lie.)

(He knows her. They all do. Someone whose life has been carved with selfless devotion for her family,  _ even if none of her families share blood in any way _ , she was the last person in the world that would ever lie about something like this.)

“You’re implying that Teach would betray the crew if their goal is in reach?” Marco asks. “What kind of goal would that be?”

“Oh,” Thatch realizes, “the Yami-Yami no Mi, is that it? It  _ was _ strange that you led with that out there. So it’s actually a thing?” 

“Yes, and it is under Nami’s suggestion that I mentioned it in the presence of the crew,” Aladine explains, mirthful. “I was keeping a close tab on his Haki as I spoke. I can tell-- Teach knows exactly what the fruit is, and his desire to acquire it is clear.”

They’re all abundantly aware that for a pirate of Aladine’s caliber, his instincts should not be dismissed. 

(The problem lay in the fact this was Teach, a Whitebeard pirate and one of his valued sons-- and Aladine did not have the right to cast doubt into their opinions of his allegiances. Nor did Nami, for that matter, even if she was a daughter.)

“I… I actually felt it too,” Haruta admits, to everyone’s surprise. “I was right by him, after all. And for a second-- only a second, I swear-- it just felt all prickly and disturbing and--” 

He shivers, looking away.

“Reminded me of old things,” he finishes, lame and weakened by the lack of words he could find for the situation. He doesn’t elaborate, but they all knew what he was likening Teach to.

(Haruta, like Aladine, used to live on a certain wall.)

(Living on the edge of that sort of lifestyle tended to sharpen someone’s senses for judging people up to a life-riskingly high degree.) 

“But wanting a devil fruit and being willing to betray the crew for it are different matters,” Thatch disagrees, “I mean-- if he just asks, I’m sure we’d give it to him.” 

“Yeah, this is a little flimsy of a theory,” Jozu agrees, “What’s the basis on her belief that he’ll actually betray the crew, to begin with?”

“She sent two messengers, isn’t that already an indication of how sure she is?” Aladine returns. “The way his Haki spiked in that moment-- I just don’t like it.” 

“Wha-!” Ace interrupts, “hey, you’re just saying that because you don’t know him well!” he insists. “Teach wouldn’t betray Oyaji just for a damn fruit!” 

“No, he might,” Sabo finally speaks, gaining everyone’s attention. “The Yami-Yami no Mi… depending on what kind of a fruit it is, one could gain enough power to rival even you, Whitebeard. In that case, there would be objectively no reason to be working under you-- one could grasp the title of Pirate King for themselves.”

And sure, that sounded incredibly enticing.

Especially when Whitebeard himself held no interest in taking the King’s title.

But then again…

“But it makes no sense!” Ace yells. “Why would Teach--” he stops himself, because the other question struck even more glaring in the situation-- “why would Nami even know that? She’s known Teach for even less time than  _ me _ .”

And that really was the question. 

(How did Nami know so much?)

(Who is  _ her  _ source of information?)

-

After being bashed in the head by Ace and unfortunately not magically regaining his memories (he then bashed him right back and, in an attempt to stop them, Thatch’s pompadour was sacrificed,) Sabo was left confused.

He remembered nothing, but Ace was undoubtedly a link to his past. 

When Aladine revealed the name of the traitor, Sabo, for one, simply pinpoints the name of ‘Teach’ as a man that he had crossed briefly on his ship tour just earlier that day. 

He was a little murky in his demeanor, a little sinister in his subtle behaviors-- but that was nothing out of the ordinary for a veteran member of such a notorious crew.

(Sabo had always been able to distinguish the worst of the hoodlums from the other, peace-main thugs they interacted with. It’s like an old, danger-sensing instinct for him, though Inazuma can’t for the life of them know where he cultivated it from.)

(Sabo had dismissed it, initially. It was normal for the crew to be wary of him, and Teach was far from the only one that mistrusted him greatly.) 

_ So, is this his mission done? He sent the message, waited for Aladine. _

No, that didn’t sound right either. Now he had to aid in taking care of the threat-- and there had to be a reason they requested him specifically. 

“It just doesn’t line up that she wanted me to come here. It’s an inside matter for you guys, after all,” he says. 

To begin with, the Whitebeards wouldn’t want outsiders butting into their business. So Nami must have sent him as a little more than a messenger-- as a delivery?

(“Send your best brew.”)

Knowledge-- that was something Nami had, beyond everything else. To an almost unnatural degree-- and they were beginning to see it. 

Which begs the question.

“Wait,” Marco seems to have realized it as well-- “did Nami send you because she knew about your connection to Ace?” 

Now that. 

That was fucking  _ ridiculous _ .

(But there’s no better explanation.)

“This is starting to make no sense,” Thatch groans, running a hand through his hair. “And I'm not talking about the traitor stuff.”

“The fact that it makes no sense is what makes it uncomfortably believable, though,” Whitebeard admits. “Nami wouldn’t go to such lengths only to deliver such a poorly constructed lie. She’s much better than that.”

That, everyone could agree on. Though mirthful, they might have to at least accept it for now, at least on an observational basis. 

But Sabo is still reeling.

_ (If she knows so much about him-- even things about himself that neither him nor Ace were aware of-- then it’s no stretch to say that her use of the Revolutionary code was part of her information arsenal, too.) _

_ (No wonder he didn’t know who that agent in Loguetown was.) _

_ (No wonder he used a code that only the higher ups would know.) _

“The Burglar Cat…” he says, fists clenched tight, and fear plaguing his mind-- “who on earth is she?”

_ (The information she might have on her hands is dangerous.) _

_ (Dangerous enough, she might be a threat to the every party if this comes to light.) _

The Whitebeards are known to be proud brothers and family members. They would never hold back on a chance to boast about their fellow siblings.

But now, none of them could say a thing.

“We can only trust her,” Whitebeard says. “Chart the course.”

“Understood, Oyaji.”

-

* * *

-

When Ace, Sabo, and Thatch return with the fruit in their hands, happily declaring their obtaining of a Devil Fruit on their scavenge, Teach is present. 

And Marco sees the way his eyes widen, his Haki spikes with excitement-- but that isn’t proof. Anyone would be excited at the aspect of a new fruit.

“Sweet!”

“Now we just have to deliver it to Nami, huh?” 

As far as the crew knew, Nami had found a lead to a fruit in the New World, and though she was desperate to attain it, she was nowhere near the area. So she asks her loving brothers to secure it for her, and she’ll compensate at a later date. 

That was easy enough. This island, uninhabited and full of jungle, was a perfect spot to rest and restock for their huge crew. It was like a vacation spot. 

Finding the island and pinpointing the location of the fruit, according to Nami’s instructions, was easy enough.

(How did she know where this fruit would be?)

(If this is Teach’s target, and he’s a traitor-- why would Nami lead us right to it? It’s better off remaining nowhere near him, right?)

The questions just kept stacking up, and at this point they were hesitant to do anything at all anymore. But there was no better way to ascertain if Teach is actually a traitor (or confirm his undying loyalty for the crew) than to dangle it before him.

_ (“Is this part of Nami’s suggestions too?” Marco asked.) _

_ (Aladine nodded. “She didn’t tell me what the fruit could do-- but she told me that, no matter what, I can never let the fruit fall into the wrong hands.”) _

The fruit is then wrapped up, and given to Sabo.

“I will handle the delivery back to her,” he says. “It’s been nice to enjoy your hospitality--”

“Whaaat,” Thatch whines, “you’re already leaving? Stay for the party!”

Sabo, despite knowing the plan, is still surprised. Because he didn’t hear anything about a “party?” The plan was supposed to be for him to stay one more night. 

Ace slings an arm around his shoulder, happily declaring that “of course! We’re on a deserted island, and we have so much food! You and Aladine aren’t going to leave without a party!”

Because the only ones that needed to focus on the situation are the commanders. There’s no better swing-by and distraction than allowing the whole crew to have fun. 

Marco will be the one in charge of keeping watch, after all. They can all lose themselves for a moment. 

Sabo suddenly realizes, “you guys just want a reason to drink!”

“Exactly!”

“Don’t confirm it!”

Thatch laughs, “Well, time for a great feast, Fourth Division!” he declares loudly. A crowd of people cheer back, some in exhausted determination and the others in a spiteful fuel of energy. 

“Anyways guys, I didn’t tell you before, but this is my brother!” Ace happily announces to the crew, grabbing Sabo by the arm. 

“No I am not!” Sabo denies. He barely realizes he’s been swung right into their chaotic pace. He would despair about this later. 

Ace pretends not to hear it, “he was dead for a bit, and now he doesn’t remember me, but don’t kill him!” 

The crew reacts explosively. From general oohs and aahs to disbelief in all corners. The only part of them that was similar was the unnatural tone of politeness Sabo had, that Ace often sported in different situations. 

Someone observes them amusedly, “but you don’t even  _ look _ alike-- oh,  _ that _ kind of brotherhood, alright I can get behind that.” Then he raises his mug and cheers, for some reason. 

“Sucks to kind die, huh. I feel ya,” said a man with a terrible scar across his forehead. 

“I hope he remembers you soon, Ace!” another exclaims tearfully, because of course someone’s already in tears from the story that was barely told. 

Another gleefully suggests, “have you tried giving him head trauma?”

To which Ace whines, “yeah, but it didn’t work!”

Sabo is entirely sure that this entire crew is insane, and he hates that he kind of likes it. It’s the exact sort of idiocy a part of him inside feels very much at home in. 

Maybe, inside, the part of him that was the brother for Ace still exists. 

Maybe they can coexist, and Sabo isn’t sure how to feel about it.

(But he shakes away the thought, knowing he has to focus now. Tonight is his last night on the ship-- Teach would strike today, and he will have to keep watch for the moment.)

“I’ll leave the fruit in Ace’s room for now, with the rest of my things,” he says, gesturing at the Devil Fruit, raising his voice so Ace who is already at the other end of the deck, (along with everyone in between) can hear him. “Is that fine?”

“Yeah!” Ace hollers.

Now it’s just the waiting game.

-

* * *

-

For Marshall D. Teach, life was finally looking his way.

A series of strange, coincidental events-- a convenient little sister that’s earned apparently everyone’s favour, of which he knows almost nothing about because he didn’t bother interacting last time around-- and suddenly, the Yami-Yami no Mi is right there, laid out and defenseless, where he could reach it.

But he couldn’t pounce just yet. He’ll be caught and he’ll be questioned. Running away from Whitebeard unnoticed would be very difficult on the blue sea, after all. 

So he was careful.

The party was such a clear invitation for an attempt, he just had to tr y, if only to see what would happen. He parties until the moon is high in the sky. Marco’s nowhere to be seen, the deck is quiet-- and the road to Ace’s room is silent.

Then he opens the door and their Revolutionary guest stares back, sitting lackadaisical to indicate he’s been waiting all along.

Ah, so it _ was  _ a trap. 

As practiced, Teach croaks out a laugh. “Oh! Wrong room,” he says, burping before moving to close the door.

“No no, it’s the right room,” Sabo interrupts him, his demeanor cheerful. And the man raises the Yami-Yami no mi in his hands. “You were looking for this, weren’t you?”

Teach’s expressions fall for just a second.

“Yeah, it’s interesting! I was thinkin’ I wanted to get a closer look,” Teach admits, “I’d rather look at it when I’m sober, you know.”

“So, now?”

“Do I look sober to you?”

“Well absolutely,” Sabo’s response is immediate, and Teach knows he can’t keep up the act any longer. 

Not that it would matter-- this is their guest, this isn’t a crewmate. 

(Maybe he could just kill this one guy and if he plays it off as innocent everyone would trust him. Yeah, that would work.)

Teach laughs. 

“Saw right through me, didn’tcha? Well don’t mind if I take a closer look then.”

He steps forward, a hand reaching behind him to the blades he always keeps under his sleeves.  _ The Chief of Staff won’t be easy to take out, but he can handle this much.  _

“Do you know what the fruit does?” Sabo chirps up some small talk. “None of us can quite figure why Nami would want it. And I heard from Ace that if anyone on this ship would know about the fruit, it’d be you and your archaeological knowledge.”

That makes Teach feel a little smug. “Course,” he says, “I don’t hold a candle to some of the others in the scholar division, but I know what I need to. It’s in the Devil Fruit encyclopedia, this one.”

Sabo makes an amused noise. “So is it a Logia, or a Paramecia?”

“It’s a logia,” Teach grins, knowing this is far more than tactically advantageous to share, but it doesn’t matter. “Not just any logia-- it’s a Special logia. Like that guy from Big Mom’s crew with the Special Paramecia-- this one’s fabled to be the strongest of the Logias. In fact I joined this crew because I wanted to find it.”

Sabo holds the fruit up to the light, slightly fascinated. “Tough case, huh. It’s what you wanted, but since we’re giving it to Nami, you can’t have it. That’s a shame.” 

Teach shrugs at that. “Sometimes, a big brother just has to tough it out for the happiness of their younger siblings, you know.” 

They chuckle awkwardly in unison. 

Then Teach strikes. 

He thrusts his blade forward, colliding sharply against Sabo’s pipe, deflecting off the surface and narrowly missing its target. His other dagger comes forth, and Sabo kicks up his pipe to swat it out of his hand.

The blade whirls, embedding onto the roof of the cabin. 

Sabo whirls out of his spot, expertly maneuvering past the blade and regaining his balance, Devil Fruit still in hand. He straightens his posture and gains some distance. 

“So,” Sabo inquires, in a way that meant he anticipated it perfectly. “What was the meaning of that?” 

Teach laughs. “I mean, it would be a shame if our Revolutionary guest turned out to have heinous intentions,” he says, constructing his story on the fly. “Let’s say that I ate it out of desperation in an attempt to retrieve it, shall we?”

Sabo makes a disgusted face, “well, fair point.”

“You ain’t dealing with a saint, you revolutionary scum,” is Teach’s rebuttal. “You’re dealing with a pirate here.”

And Sabo has to admit, that was true. 

“Unfortunately, my orders were specific here,” Sabo sighs. 

(There’s someone there that can hurt our cause. Do everything you can to stop them.)

He didn’t elaborate fully to the Whitebeards. Obviously, you don’t reveal the full extent of code words to another party, after all. 

_ (“Nami warned me, very closely, that this fruit should never land in the wrong hands at any point of history. Revolutionary Army-- you know the importance of such a thing.”) _

(And Sabo did.)

Slowly, he turns the fruit around, so Teach can get a clear look at the one section that was quite specifically bitten out of.

“Well, my boss will probably be mad at me for this,” he shrugs. Gripping a fist before him, it erupts into black wisps. “But when I do things. I like to be thorough.”

Teach’s stomach plummets.

Then he explodes with rage-- “you-- how  _ dare _ you!” he snaps. “I spent twenty years getting this far! How dare--!!”

He freezes mid-rant.

“But it’s fine,” he grounds out, the smile on his face lunatic above all else. “I can just kill you here, and it’ll be reformed as one of the fruits in the pantry, or even on the island. Then I can seize it for myself and say goodbye to this damned crew once and for all!”

Sabo tosses the fruit aside, rather amused. 

“Heard that, Marco?” he asks.

Teach’s eyes widen.

“Yeah,” the door opens, and Marco ruffles his head mirthfully. “Loud and clear, unfortunately.”

-

When the door bursts open, people jerk awake in alarm.

Marco winces, unhesitatingly tearing out the knife embedded in his eye. It erupts immediately in blue flames, and people cry out in horror.

“Hey, Marco!” 

“Stay back,” Marco orders. “Get Oyaji here right now.” Though he’s probably already on his way, not having stayed far to begin with. 

Ace arrives in the next moment, fire licking his forearms as he prepares for further attack. “Where’s Sabo?” he demands, and Marco gestures forward. 

Right on cue the doorframe shatters, and Sabo is thrown out of the fray. 

Spitting out a broken tooth and cringing, the revolutionary quickly straightens. The Devil Fruit tucked securely under his coat, he keeps his hat on his head and joins Marco and Ace by the rest of the crew.

“So we’ve got our answer, huh?” Ace mutters, looking disgruntled. “I hate this.” Someone from his own division, too...

“Was he always this strong?” Sabo asks.

“Obviously, since he’s one of our oldest members,” Marco mutters, his eye healed fully now, “but I’d be lying to say I knew he was _ this _ strong.”

“What’s going on?!”

“A fight?”

Some of the drunkards are waking up now-- and seeing as the first thing they recognize is Marco getting stabbed, they’re going to panic. The commanders step forward, holding the crew back from addressing the threat before they understand what’s going on. 

“Situation, Marco?”

Izo asks, though all commanders are quite sure of it now.

Teach steps forward, his fists coated in a black sheen. Emerging from the shadows, it was hard to see his face. But it was low, his brows twisted together in a furious gleam. 

His infamous smile was nowhere to be seen-- and the only attention emanating from his features was a sheer, uninvolving rage that didn’t have elsewhere to go but  _ out _ .

Marco fixes an eye on the man he once called brother. 

“We should hear it from Teach.”

All heads turn to meet Edward Newgate as he arrives-- and the startling presence of his Haki told them everything they needed to know.

“Right, Teach?” The question is more patronizing than inquisitive. “Do you have something to say to me?”

The sound that comes from Teach is a mocking scoff.

“Yeah, I bet you want to hear all about it, going into the theatrics,” Teach sings sarcastically, utterly disgusted by this display. “Well, I’m done playing this charade with you buffoons. I’m leaving the crew, _ Oyaji. _ ”

The last word is spat out with such disdain, Ace instantly bristled. 

“Teach!” he roars, lighting up in a fury of red and orange. “You cannot be serious here! Explain yourself right now!”

Teach raises his hands in a placated manner. “I joined this crew for one reason and one reason only,” he says, “now that the reason’s gone, I have no reason to play this retarded family game any longer. Dumbed that down enough for ya, _Ace?”_

“Ret--” there was no better fuel for the dismay that coated everyone’s faces. “Teach-- are you saying everything was just-- was just  _ stupid _ to you?”

“Where’s the Yami-Yami no mi?” Whitebeard asks, though there was an underlying, suppressed ire in his voice, threatening to break through. 

“I ate it,” Sabo says, to everyone’s surprise. At the pointedly offended looks from a few people, he defends himself. “What? It’s not like Nami  _ actually _ wanted the thing. If she made me her gopher boy, she sure as hell can’t complain when I eat it.”

“You  _ ate _ a devil fruit, which makes you unable to swim, on a ship full of pirates you don’t trust,” Thatch asks, incredulous.

Sabo rolls his eyes in response. “Priorities change depending on the situation.”

“Awh man, now there’ll be no one to fish us out of the water when Luffy falls in again,” Ace says. “Are you an idiot? I thought you were the smart brother.”

“Be quiet, Ace.”

“Stingypants,” Ace retorts, like a child. 

Then he immediately lets the smile fall, turning to Teach with a deep, burning breath-- before stepping forward. No one stops him, but there are looks, and a few hesitate. There was no way they were letting him go alone here.

Teach had nowhere to escape, unless he really fought his way out of it in the confusion amongst the crew. Whitebeard would be impossible to face-- but Ace?

“What do you want, commander?” he says, the title coming off in jest. “Gonna pretend a punch can turn me back into a nice guy for you?”

Ace pauses for a moment.

Then he sighs. “So you’re serious, huh?” he steps back, flames churning in his elbow. “Everyone stay back.” 

At his request, protests arise. “Hold on, Ace! This is a problem for all of us!” and “Oyaji’s the one that decides what to do with him”, but Ace wasn’t having any of it.

Teach was outnumbered here. 

For Ace, Teach was one of the first few to acknowledge his ascension to the position of Commander. Aside from Thatch and Marco, Teach was the one that showed him the ropes of the division, cemented his bond with the rest of the members, and helped him feel belonged.

To Ace, Teach was an important brother. 

And yet, here they were.  It hurt a lot to have to face him with anger in his veins, long-forgotten foul words threatening to rise form his throat once more. 

“I’m the commander of the second division-- I’ll deal with my misbehaving members on my own,” he says.

And no one could rebuke that.

Except one.

“Hey, that’s a little selfish, don’t you think?” Sabo mutters, crossing his arms. “I have a bone to pick with him. Almost literally, because you know, he knocked out a tooth of mine and I can still taste the blood. It’s fucking gross.”

Ace almost facefaults from that. 

“Can’t you tell this is a dramatic moment? Butt out already!” 

“Don’t wanna. In fact,  _ you’re _ the one that came in between  _ my  _ fight.”

“Excuse me?!”

“Yeah, dramatic  _ bitch _ . I fought him first.”

“He’s in  _ my _ division! I have a responsibility!”

“Responsibility? You know what  _ responsibility  _ means?!”

There, side by side with their fists in line-- it was almost like the old days. Even when Sabo still didn’t remember a thing, they turn and strike in tandem. They were still arguing, but it was almost like they’d practiced this same move a hundred times before. 

Teach dodges the first strike, but doesn’t avoid the next. When he’s engulfed in flames, the pipe is always two steps behind him.

None of the Whitebeards interfere. 

(If there were still any doubts on Sabo being Ace’s long-lost brother, they were all gone now. There was little more fascinating than watching twins battle together.)

But Teach is not so simple a man as to be defeated so easily.

-

* * *

-

Teach escapes. 

Like a duel rather than a banishment, they battle on the shores of the island, away from most of the crew. The fight lasted for three days and ended with Teach embedding a haki-infused blade in Sabo’s stomach, before escaping into the sea.

He wasn’t unscathed, of course. Those burn wounds would scar him forever, and if he didn’t get most of the bruises treated, he would most probably lose most of his right arm’s functions from now on. 

Sabo remained in a coma for the next week. 

“They can’t turn intangible,” Haruta reveals, reading out of the Devil fruit encyclopedia they’ve managed to dig out of Teach’s old items. “Apparently, it’s quite the opposite, and pain is amplified.”

Marco soaks in the new information contemplatively. Ace has already mostly recovered, and he now spends most of his time watching Sabo in hopes he’ll wake up soon. 

“It’s his own fault for eating the fruit without knowing what it is,” Ace rationalizes, chuckling though his expressions are strained. “But he’s tougher than that. He got blown up by a cannon and survived-- he can probably live through being fucking impaled.”

“That doesn’t sound like a great track record of injuries,” Marco remarks. 

“But everything else this says about the fruit is pretty terrifying,” Haruta hands the book to Marco so he can look for himself. “I think I’m quite glad Teach didn’t get his hands on it after all.”

It still stings to think about the fact that Teach had jumped ship. 

Ace hasn’t been able to look his division in the eye. People have been staring dazed instead of doing chores, and a few have walked around with their clothing inside out. Even Oyaji has been indulging in more alcohol than reccomeneded nowadays, and Whitey can’t quite force him to reduce the consumption. 

(They all needed time to let it sink in.)

But the problem now was Sabo. 

For Ace, Sabo was always the first. From the very beginning, there was no one else he opened his heart to first. He's also the first he learned to lose and cry for, but that was now history that could be forgotten because _he's here_ , with him again. And that meant more than anything. 

To Ace, there could only be Sabo, but once you took Sabo away, he learned to let other people into his heart again. 

It was an important change in his life. But now he didn't need that trigger again, he just wanted Sabo back by his side, giving him those snarky remarks because he's a pretentious bastard and Ace doesn't hate that at all, though he would always say otherwise. 

(He just lost a brother in Teach.)

(He doesn't want to lose Sabo, too.)

There’s no telling how long the Revolutionaries will leave the Whitebeards alone if their Chief of Staff stays out of contact for so long. There’s no easy way to get in contact with them, either, so it was a stressful wait. Let’s hope misunderstandings don’t occur.

What’s more, the injuries he sustained were dire. 

Counting in the extra pain factor-- they had pain medication, but it only went so far. If he wakes up with severe chronic pains, trauma, or other mental repercussions-- as a doctor, Marco was incredibly worried for him.

(He wasn’t a brother, not directly, but Marco knew how much he meant to Ace.)

Now, they could only wait.

(They’ve been doing a lot of that recently.)


	32. moving on together (we haven't grown at all)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabo wakes up. Ace finally gets his long-awaited hug and cry, though it's later filled with loads of teasing and bullying all around. 
> 
> Meanwhile on the Strawhat's ship, Vivi and Carue settle in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys ❤ it's the author that appears once in a while to direct my undying love in your direction and then proceed to fade out for a dozen chapters. Yeah. Anyways, I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH PLEASE KNOW THAT. Thanks so so much for all the support you've given to the story! I'm having so much fun writing every bit of it and nothing makes me happier than knowing it's being appreciated so far. It's what cheers me up in these days. ❤ 
> 
> Off topic-- I have a [tumblr](https://rueririn.tumblr.com/) where I post rambles of this fic and some other of my fics sometimes. Like, I only drop stuff there every once in a while, but it exists. If you ever have anything to ask/spot plot holes/have criticism about this story, please feel free to ask away! or comment here is fine too. They really help me write better, no lie. 
> 
> Anyways enough of me. Onto the awaited SaboAce hug.

In the darkness of his own mind, Sabo suffers. 

He’s never been a fan of such complete blindness, but everything was made worse by the consistent plunge of despair that consumes his chest, like a growing lump that burns, burns, and  _ keeps burning _ . 

He could throw up, but he’s not nauseated enough for it.

He could scream, but he’s out of strength.

He could struggle and writhe, but he was paralyzed, forced to bear with the agony eating him alive, crawling across his body like mounds of carnivorous mites unable to be settled until he was dead.

Could he even die?

He can’t even think straight. He can only bear with the pain, try to bear with the pain, fail to bear with the pain-- and rinse and repeat without a choice.

Eventually, he realizes that this is the fruit he’s eaten.

And in the endless agony that feels like an eternity, his mind begins to find ways to cope. His instinct for survival rises out of his mind as he reaches the ends of his ropes.

He almost succumbs to the pain.

But his mind refuses to give up, and he begins to think hopefully of the things he’ll see when he finally finds his way out of the sweltering darkness.

He sees Koala, the Revolutionary Army-- and he’s reminded of the things he can’t forget yet. He can’t lose to this pain-- he can’t forget them, he can’t die here.

(And in the crest of his mind, he finds it.)

(He finds the memories of the brothers he used to have, the vision of red sake cups knocking against each other-- and the promise they once made.)

Suddenly, he’s awake.

The world is bright-- and above him is a ceiling he doesn’t recognize. 

_ “M- Marco! MARCO! HEY, MARCO! He’s awake!” _

He’s not in the darkness anymore. There’s a mess of voice and movement as his vision is blurred, so blurred, he can’t make anything out.

He groans, a sharp pain shooting up his head. The little movement reminds him of the dull throb-- that instantly crecendoes into a drill of sheer agony in his side.

He struggles to-- he can’t sit up. 

Heck, he can barely move. He hasn’t felt like this since the time Kuma accidentally swatted him to the end of Baltigo. 

Ace is hovering over him, and as Sabo’s eyes clear up he can make out the panicked expressions, the wide eyes, and the tears brimming the corners. 

(Oh, Ace is crying for him? He’s kind of flattered.)

(...Ace?)

_ “You idiot! You didn’t have to take that s _ _ trike for me! I’m fucking _ fire _ and your reckless idiot head forgot, of course--” _

(“Ace…?”)

Sabo’s eyes widen in horror.

The freckles. The hair, dark and curled in just the right ways, framing his face in an almost uncharacteristically innocent image. He always showed his concern through aggression, and his affection through displays of violence.

Sabo knows this because… because he  _ does _ .

“Ace?” he croaks out, and he’s not so sure if that sounds like a word at all-- but Ace freezes at the call, and Sabo takes a moment to blink-- and really rake in the features. 

He remembers. 

_ Shit, _ Sabo remembers.

Sabo suddenly remembers anything and it’s trippy-- it’s like nothing’s changed-- but  _ everything’s _ changed and there was no way to ignore this except--

“Shit,” Sabo whispers. “Shit,” because there was no better way to describe the burst of emotions in his chest. He tries to cry, he thinks he does, but it hurts so much he doesn’t know why exactly the tears are in his eyes. “Shit…  _ Ace. _ ”

Ace freezes where he stands.

“Sabo?” that one word is full of hope.

No response is needed. 

It’s right there in the way Sabo said his name, a habit that the noble couldn’t break, the whisper-like drag at the end of the syllable that he started out doing from a childhood accent brought from the High Town of Goa.

He fixed the pronunciation later on with Makino’s help, but Sabo never changed the way he said Ace’s name. It was important, almost like a little nickname just between them. Luffy later adopted the same way it’s spoken, but that was because Luffy said things however he wanted, always.

(But in that moment-- they just  _ knew _ .)

Ace’s face was filled with tears.

He collapses forward, careful not to manhandle Sabo-- but he buries his face deeply in the man’s chest and he just  _ sobs _ .

“You--  _ fucking _ ,” he certainly hasn’t lost his potty mouth, “ _ fucking idiot  _ of a brother I--” a choke, and something that sounds like a sniffle, “Sabo, I hate you so much.” 

Sabo can’t hug back. It hurts too much everywhere to do that-- but in that moment, he just wanted to cry and laugh at the same time.

“Yeah,” he says, his voice still raspy. “Good morning to you too, Ace.”

Right now, nothing else mattered.

Sabo breaks the silence and the ambience a long moment later.

“Seriously though,” Sabo chuckles, a tear at the edge of his voice, a burn of amusement rising in his tone. “Did you seriously get my jolly roger tattooed on your arm?” 

Ace shoots right up, his cheeks blooming red. “Oh shut up! You were _dead_ , okay?!” 

He pulls his brother’s cheeks apart as wide as they would go as Sabo whines in a mixture of pain and defiance. There are tears in the former nobles eyes as he grins, cheekily waxing poetic about, “I’m so happy that you love me so much--” 

Ace is seriously going to die of embarrassment, “Shut up! Stop talking! I’ll punch you!” 

The childish roughhousing ends with a tight, tight-- and almost suffocating squeeze as Ace wraps his arms around Sabo’s shoulders, rounding over his figure to clasp him as close as he can even by the head. 

He holds and he clings and he doesn’t let go because--

\--because he doesn’t want to be even an inch apart. He doesn’t even want to breathe, he just wants to feel Sabo in his arms and never, ever let him go again.

(Because he’s sorry he never did this enough.)

“Dammit, if I ever find Dragon, I’m going to punch him,” he says, ignoring the husky whispers of the tears clogging up his throat. 

“Yes, go ahead,” Sabo clenches back, refusing to let go from the warmth that has never hugged him so tightly before but still feels like the most familiar, most homelike thing he has ever received. “But me first, alright?”

He’s here and  _ they’re together  _ and he doesn’t care that this is more touchy-feely than they’ve ever been. Ace is the only thing right now between Sabo and the insanity of the chronic agony in his veins. 

Right now, there’s nothing else he wants to do but cry about the years they’ve lost together. 

-

Haruta runs Sabo through everything he’s found out about the Yami-Yami no mi, from the encyclopedia to research notes and to the extra information they found down the information lines in this short time frame. 

It’s not until Sabo touches Ace and he failed to change, that they realize the horrifying nullifying properties of the fruit. 

“Isn’t it ironic that Ace gets the bright and fiery Devil Fruit while I get the dark and edgy one?” Sabo asks. “Ace was the living representation of edgelord back when we were kids. Tried to kill me a hundred times and everything.” 

Haruta puts his book down.

Then, “please,” he says, approaching the revolutionary with the most serious expression in the universe, “ _please_ , do tell me more.”

“Haruta don’t you fucken’  _ dare _ \--”

Ace is held back, literally, by a hand shoved to his face. Marco steps forward, just as interested as Haruta. “Does he try to kill  _ everyone? _ ” he asks, incredulous.

Sabo nods. “His love language is murder,” he says, his face comically serious. “Did that with me, with Luffy-- our other brother by the way-- and with Gramps too at some point. Only person he didn’t do it to was Makino and that’s cause he had a raging boy-crush--”

“Sabo,  _ shut up! _ ”

At this point, Haruta’s eyes are sparkling, Marco is incredibly amused, and Thatch, who came in with a tray of food, stayed for the tales and misadventures of jungle boy Ace and trash noble Sabo. 

-

It’s only after a day of extensive checkup and a very angry phone call from ‘my partner that’s on standby about three miles from here in case I get killed on this ship’, Sabo is finally able to go out on deck. 

(Actually, he shouldn’t be, he should still be a walking epitome of agony, but for some reason he just says it’s okay and he’s active. Marco is worried and horrified.)

(But seeing as he’s on a ship full of equally thickheaded morons, he isn’t very surprised.)

“Tell me honestly, do you pain sensors actually work?” Marco asks, mostly out of incredulity. 

“Of course they do. I feel like dying right now,” Sabo says, cheerfully. “Except--”

“You are NOT allowed to die again!” Ace snaps, interrupting him as Sabo gestures in a ‘as you can see’ manner. 

The fire Logia is still clinging to Sabo’s side, more reluctant to leave him than ever. It’s honestly getting annoying.

After hearing the good news and deciding it was a great opportunity to have an excuse to drink their sorrows about Teach away once and for all, the crew had another party yesterday. They were going to be in trouble for stock soon, but it was hard to combat it.

Ace was happy and sad and hungover and so was the rest of the crew.

“Anyways, I cleared things up with my contact,” Sabo finishes his report to Whitebeard. It was just the basic situational update about the Revolutionary Army’s concerns in regard to Sabo’s prolonged stay here. “Sorry for intruding, and our leader extends his words of gratitude.”

Whitebeard had been amusing himself with the way Marco and Ace squabble over nothing, but the news was at the very least, easing to his ears. It’s not much of a relief to the overall situation, though. “I see, that’s great to hear.”

He was, however, eager to distract himself. 

“Now that you’ve regained your memories, does that mean I can call you my, by extension, son?” he wonders to the air, rubbing his chin contemplatively. 

Sabo’s jaw drops.

“New brother?!” Thatch bursts out of the galley door, how the heck did he even hear the conversation? With a hand still holding a large tray of fresh baked bread. “Did I just hear that?”

A few heads immediately lift. 

Whitebeard nods. “Looks like we’ll need another party to get you settled in,” at Sabo’s gobsmacked expressions, Whitebeard iterates, “well, Nami was like this too. The more the merrier on this ship, you’ll grow into it.”

“Did you just say ‘you’ll grow into it’ like we’re talking about a new pair of shoes?” Sabo can’t believe his ears right now, “wait, I’m not your son--”

“New brother indeed!” Ace cheers. He immediately spins and declares, “hey everyone! This is Sabo and he’s our new brother now! Get along!”

“Listen to me!” 

"Awh man. Another supply trip soon. We're seriously having too many parties this month."

"Then STOP having them!"

Promptly ignored once again, Sabo is swung around and handed off to the next person that deposits a mug of booze in his hand and initiates a toast. Apparently, their hangover no longer exists. 

“Hey, call your partner so they can join the party,” someone suggests. 

“Excuse me? I’m  _ not _ compromising her position.”

“Oh it’s a girl? Then all the more reason not to leave her out there!” Thatch declares. “She must be hungry if she’s been waiting for you so long. And Whitey would kill me if she learns about this. C’mon.”

It’ll be awhile before Sabo finally gets to go back to Baltigo. 

-

* * *

-

“On the sea, send it up with the albatross. On land, lead it down with gold,” Nami flips a coin into the air, catching it in the back of her hand. “In times of strife, listen to the party in the wind. When things come through, cast your bets on the fires of chaos.”

It’s a rumour on the waves, whispering to the world of the four devas that control the flow of information in the Grand Line and out. 

Coby will become the fifth-- no, by default, he already is. And so is Usopp and Nami, who have already begun using future knowledge. Buggy’s a wild card, so they don’t know what on earth he’s planning, though. 

Vivi hums at the knowledge. “So the News Coo is part of one of those information lines as well?” she says, at least understanding the first part. 

Nami nods. “It’s the most accessible form of information, and at the same time the least,” Vivi has no idea what that means. 

The navigator chuckles, standing up from the steps to arrive at Usopp’s little deck workshop, where the outer shells of her metal arm lay on the mat.

After being slightly toasted, Nami needed to let it air so it could cool properly. Usopp, finding the chance, decided to add improvements to the structure while he could. 

“I thought your arm needed to be set together by an experienced physician,” Vivi questions, remembering the need to ask Crocus as a doctor back on Whiskey Peak. “Is this different?”

“Yeah, as long as this part stays on,” Nami gestures at the only remaining part of her arm that was still left on the shoulder-- a protruding, glowing section connected by a plug of wires and sockets. 

“Ah… I see.”

Now, returning to the talk about information.

“So the reason you knew about my identity was due to one of those four lines?” Vivi asks, finally arriving at the reason Usopp even knew she was a princess. “But if it was exposed already…”

“No, the information we’re getting is from a different, highly classified source,” Usopp fills in before a misunderstanding sets. “There is no line in the world that knows about your involvement with Baroque Works, or our crew, as of now.”

Vivi only ends up more confused than before, and she doesn’t quite have the motivation to try asking again. She’s been attempting to weedle this piece of information for thirty minutes now, she doesn’t think she’ll ever get any closer. 

Promptly, she turns her head to watch Luffy chase Carue around the deck.

The rubber idiot latches onto the bird, and Carue kicks him crudely. It’s the most vulgar thing Vivi has ever seen her gentle and domesticated boy do, so it stuns her. 

“C’mon, Chachamaru!” Luffy whines, and who the hell is Chachamaru, that’s actually kind of cute for a name, “you’re huge! Give me a ride!”

Carue responds with a still-offended SQUAWK! And kick to the face, Luffy goes flying overboard, as he should.

Zoro immediately stands up and jumps after him.

Vivi finds herself wondering whatever would happen if one of the Baroque Works Officer Agents fell into the sea while sailing. Do they just let each other die? She hasn’t been briefed about Devil Fruit user protocol yet.

(Wait no no, it’s not ‘yet’, it’s ‘before now’. Gotta get back to normal lifestyle.) 

“It’s teatime my lovely ladies~!” out comes a dancing Sanji, carting a huge tray of strangely reddish drinks. 

Luffy cheers sleepily from his waterlogged spot on the deck, and Zoro groans, squeezing the water out of his sash. Carue sits down, apparently satisfied with chucking him out of the deck once today. 

“Here you go, Nami-san and Vivi-chan,” Sanji sings, daintily handing them a glass each. 

He had only begun to use her name a moment ago, but it feels great to be called by her name again. She hadn’t really affused to it yet, but now-- now she has a right to call herself by her name again. For real this time.

“Are you sure we can relax this much?” she asks with a defeated sigh.

“It’ll be fine. They’ll work hard when a storm comes,” Nami sips on her drink and hums in absolute delight, “this is really good! Thanks as always, Sanji-kun!”

“Of course, Nami-swan! Nothing makes me happier than knowing it pleases you,” he bows. Then a holler to the rest of the deck, "alright, you hooligans, whoever wants a taste of my special drink gather round!”

Sanji then saunters away. 

Even Carue makes his way over, where Sanji teaches him out to drink out of a straw. She wonders if he should even drink anything remotely alcoholic, but she holds herself back, realizing that complaining would do nothing. 

Usopp, leaving the arm parts where they were, is handed a drink as well as the group gathers around him instead of making him convene the other way around. 

“Hey Usopp, think we can get the net out and fish another sea king?” Luffy asks, excited on the aspect of their first real, sea voyage on the Grand Line. 

They were already thinking of what they could do to while their boredom away.

(Wait, what do they mean  _ another? _ )

“Fishing huh? Not a bad idea,” that’s Zoro, and Vivi thought he was the sensible one of the ship but apparently she was wrong. “How are we going to lure one out, though?”

“Let’s not go for sea kings right away. I want to dismantle the net for supplies anyways,” Usopp takes a moment to find the straw, and Sanji has to reach over to help. The action is so casual, Usopp simply continues talking, “I’ll make you a fishing rod, okay?”

“Oh! You can?!”

“Of course. Who do you think made Nami’s Clima Tact?” came the boasting once more, “I may be blind now, but thirty years ago I used to be called Usopp, the Master Craftsman of the King’s entourage!” 

“Oooh!” 

Luffy sparkles, but Sanji just scoffs, fixing him an unimpressed look as he remarks, “so you’re more than thirty years old?”

Usopp sputters, “no! Well, actually-- I mean--”

He doesn’t even know how to begin explaining himself, and as everyone starts teasing him for being an old man apparently, Nami lets out a chuckle beside her.

And Vivi turns around to see a beautiful smile.

(That’s what Vivi wants to do.)

(Living a mundane life, telling dumb jokes-- these things ultimately build up into a beautiful smile on everyone’s faces. That’s the ideal world in Vivi’s heart, and she wants nothing but to make her country fit the bill.)

“Being on this ship sure makes you lose the will to worry, huh?” 

When Nami says that, Vivi almost wants to say something back in annoyance. She wants to focus on her country-- she’s still worried about Igaram, and it can only be trouble herein.

And yet, when she sees the joy that radiates from every single member of this crew, genuine and solid and unbreakable, Vivi finds herself wanting to assimilate, if only to be free for once in her life. 

The wind blows through her hair, sending it dancing across her back, barely held together in a ponytail by the band at its crest.

“Yes, it is quite relaxing,” she admits.

And she might be fine if it stays like this for a while longer. 

-

Kinoko wakes up a few hours later, weak and active and hurt in all places. The first thing she does is leap out of her cot-- Gin has to lunge over in his half-awake state and catch her-- as she frantically checks for the ring around her casted foot. 

When she notices it’s there, she sighs in relief. 

Gin groans, slowly getting up. Wrapped in bandages and sleeping stomach down on the only bed on the ship for hours is not ideal, but Sanji was a strict nurse when times called. 

The bird, sluggishly getting squirming in his hands, looks around in confusion. She finally notices the way her wings are bandaged tightly, and she makes a cooing noise, slumping disappointedly.

“You’re finally awake.” At least she didn’t just die-- birds are much more fragile than humans, after all. He doesn’t know what to make of the huge duck though, “c’mon, let’s get you to the others.”

Usopp would be happy to see she’s awake.

Cradling his injuries with a grunt-- ugh, he can feel a fever coming. He might be getting an infection, which isn’t hard to guess seeing as they left all the medicine and antibiotics for Igaram. Usopp had salve, but that only went so far. 

Shrugging on the spare jacket Sanji snatched for him over his shoulders, Gin staggers up the steps and out into the deck.

“Hey,” he says, calling attention to him in all sorts of exclamations of his name, “the bird woke up.”

Kinoko is then handed off to Usopp, who shows her off to the crew as they begin reprimanding her.

“Geez, one blow and you’re out?” Luffy whines. “Now I look bad cause I keep losing races to you.” Then a moment later, “what does that face mean?! I’m not admitting defeat yet! HEY!” 

“That’s right. Stay somewhere we can see you,” Zoro crosses his arms, “you’re the guide bird, you’re not supposed to get lost.”

Kinoko then makes a very defiant noise back, and though none of them can quite understand her language, they all know exactly what hypocrisy she’s pointing out. 

"It's fine," Nami defends, "hey Noko-chan. Want to know how I paid that guy back for you?"

Kinoko perks up, interested. 

Gin leans against the railing, “next time, go for the eyes,” he says. “You’re good at that. But stick your claws forward and they’ll scream.”

“That’s terrifying, please don’t,” Usopp deadpans.

The birds are then introduced to each other, which is a strange sight, considering how little Kinoko is in comparison to the large spot-billed duck. 

Vivi says an awkward greeting to Kinoko, who gives her a silent, acknowledging nod and nothing else. It's one of the most awkward interactions she's ever experienced. 

“Here Ennosuke, that’s Chachamaru,” Luffy introduces.

“This is Kinoko, and that’s Carue,” Usopp corrects.

“That’s confusing,” Luffy says, to which everyone gives him an exasperated look he promptly pretends not to notice. “Anyways Chachamaru, don’t eat Ennosuke! She’s tinier than you.”

Carue gives him a pointed look, to which Kinoko croaks back her own incredulous caw. 

The birds then dissolve into a conversations of quacks and chirps that none of the humans can ever imagine understanding. But it’s filled with mutual laughter and occasional glances in Luffy’s direction, so they reckon it’s a fruitful little talk.

Luffy, though, gathers enough that they’re dissing him.

“You two are assholes!” he snaps, “that does it! I’m catching one of you and using you as fish bait! Wha-- Why are you running?! Get back here!”

When Carue starts dashing across the bow with Kinoko hugging his neck-- well, let’s say the rest of the strawhats simply laugh as their captain is stepped on along the way. 

Usopp simply smiles, hearing their captain squeak and yelp each time. There’s a splash, Zoro curses, and Gin sighs in the distance. Nami is giggling now, and Vivi is slightly worried. Sanji hands Gin a warm drink, and Merry sails on smoothly in the wind

It’s peaceful.

-

Sparring with Nami is wildly different from sparring with Usopp. 

Unlike the sharpshooter, Nami’s movements are clunky, with big swings and large movements that result in impacts many times stronger. 

And she applies many more theatrics to her movements. If Usopp was a force that you could easily hit but never injure-- Nami was impossible to even get close enough.

Kogatana is snapped out of his hands for the fifteenth time-- and he yells out in frustrations. 

Nami leans against her axe, smiling in an almost snarky manner. “Wanna go again?” she taunts, and Zoro contemplates the pros and cons of-- nevermind.

“Well, it’s hard to blame you, since you’re not used to using one sword as opposed to three,” Nami reckons. “You could stand to be a little less tough on yourself-- how about you use just one longsword. With Kogatana, I mean.”

Zoro picks up his dagger from the deck-- _oh sorry, did it give you a heart attack Carue? At least it didn’t land on you_ \-- and looks over, confused. 

“As in, one katana and one dagger? That’s dumb,” he says. And imbalanced.

Nami pouts at that, denying it completely. “You’re the weird one for using two full length swords. People usually have two swords of uneven lengths so one could be used for parrying, you know.”

(That, and people usually aren’t ambidextrous enough to wield them equally, so they’re uneven to compensate.)

Zoro simply raises a brow at that. “That can be done with two swords of the same length,” he denies. “In fact, if it’s not the same it throws me off.”

A scoff. “A devoted dojo kid you are, Zoro.”

“Stop insulting the dojo, viking witch!” 

Nami actually sputters. “Vikin-  _ what _ ? Okay, that one is new,” she admits. “But you could try, you know. It could get you somewhere.”

Zoro groans at that. 

It’s not as if he’s incredibly stubborn to uphold the rudimental, practiced motions of kendo that he’s learned from Koushiro-- but breaking out of it would be a gamble. And he's right-- he’s just been reluctant to take that step for now, and that’s why he’s at a standstill. 

To use Kogatana as a parrying blade-- would be the equivalent of deeming it unworthy of cutting anything. 

_ (“There are swords that can cut anything, and swords that can cut nothing.”) _

No… Kogatana isn’t a sword that can’t hold its own. 

(He  _ did _ manage to hit the vulture Miss Friday back on Whiskey Peak, after all.)

Kogatana is simply a blade with potential that isn’t found in Zoro’s traditional style. He has to find that line of skill-- and Zoro can’t do it while staying in his shell.

Drawing Wado Ichimonji from its sheath, Zoro holds them forward. 

The lengths and differing weights are awkward against each other, but he tries not to let it bother him.

“One more time,” he prompts.

Nami lifts her axe. “With pleasure.”

Zoro didn’t defeat a hundred bounty hunters on Whiskey Peak. Not alone, at least-- so i f Dracule Mihawk was a hundred times that effort, now he needs two times as much of that. It’s still far, far away from where he’s at right now. 

(He has to rush ahead as quickly as he can, even if it's clumsy and imperfect on the way.)

(Or he’ll fall behind.)

-

Vivi gets alone time with Gin.

Which is incredibly stressful seeing as Gin was the one most against her joining their trip up until very recently, but there wasn’t much of a choice. 

Gin needed to be watched so he would stay rested. 

For a long while, all he did was read the copy of Brag Men in the women’s room-- to which Vivi began to soft through the cupboards as well, reminded of the little shelf they had in the King’s office in Alabasta.

And there she finds it. 

“The Emerald City?” she picks it off the shelf immediately, amazed. “There are only a handful of copies in the world! How rare it is to find one here…”

Gin has to admit-- he’d literally only moved it over from the boy’s dorm yesterday because he was moving into this room-- but damn, she’s got taste. 

Emerald City, unlike Brag Men, Scarcity Value, or A Living Thing, wasn’t mass produced. 

In fact, Emerald City was such a fabled, constricted tale, that at some point, production of it was banned by World Government law. 

The copies that exist today were copied by hand and passed down in hiding. Which is why Gin found such joy in discovering that in the basements of Oykot.

(Some say it had links to the Void Century, but none could make such a claim without questioning the censorship of knowledge by the World Government.)

(Well, Gin isn’t too interested in that.)

“You know of it?” he asks instead. Small talk isn’t his thing, but he’s been forbidden from going out for a while now and he’ll take what he gets. And it’s also not common for him to be able to talk to someone that even  _ knew _ of his dream, anyways. 

“Of course I do!” Vivi says, holding herself back in embarrassment as she realizes she’s gotten excited. She looks away, briefly admitting that, “my mother used to tell me stories about it. It was one of my favourites.” 

_ Mother? That would be the queen, wouldn't it? _

Gin has always seen the story as the treasure of the civilians, of those hoping for a better life. It was strange to think that a member of privilege, of royalty, would look upon this story with the same fascination as she did.

(It was a dissonance.)

(Didn’t royalty already have everything Emerald City promised?)

Gin takes the book from her. 

Vivi looks surprised, so he scoffs, “the books on this shelf mostly belong to Nami, but this one belongs to me.”

Kinoko caws disapprovingly, glancing side-eyed at him. Gin hisses at her. 

“Oh…” Vivi steps back. “My bad. I apologize for not asking permission.” 

She bows her head-- she  _ bows her head _ , which takes Gin by surprise-- and fluidly transitions into sifting through the other books. 

“May I borrow this one, then?” she gestures clearly without touching-- and she waits, patiently, for his answer. 

She doesn’t show any signs of being repulsed by his obvious rude treatment. There’s just a subtle, polite smile on her face-- it’s not mocking. It’s almost… almost full of  _ understanding _ . 

It annoys Gin. Very much so.

He looks aside, irritated. “Do whatever the hell you want.”

Pretending to ignore Vivi therein, Gin returns to reading. Emerald City is still tucked by his side, forgotten but not unimportant. 

Vivi sits by the couch, pouring herself a drink from the mini bar. She settles with a book on her lap, and they read in silence.

It’s awkward, but Gin pretends it’s not his fault.

-

Usopp is working on carving wood by the mast when Luffy slowly lowers himself to his side, glancing curiously at the object he was working on. 

Usopp doesn’t need to look over, he simply blows aside the sawdust and hums. “Did you need something, Luffy?”

Luffy snaps back into his actual size, capturing his straw hat as it bumps out of place before standing up and crouching to get a closer look. “Hey Usopp, what’s the hockey thing that you use to see?”

It’s the first time Luffy has expressed actual, serious interest in it, so it catches Usopp off guard. He then accidentally nicks himself, which causes a short panic.

“What are you idiots doing?” Sanji snaps. “And you, how many times have I said? No using your hands!”

“No using your hands, no using your feet,” Usopp mutters sarcastically, “I need my hands to work. I can handle this.”

“I don’t care if you can handle it!” Sanji slams a foot on his head, though not as hard as he would usually hit, “if your hands don’t heal well and you lose feeling in those fingers, it’s all the worse for your already shitty sensitivity!” 

And he  _ does  _ have a point. 

Touch is an important part of how Usopp gets around-- if his fingers get too calloused, he wouldn’t be able to tell when things are hot, or sharp, or the other way around. Usopp’s first days on Baratie were filled with clumsy ways of how not to hold hot soups. 

The rough work of inventing and machinery have already brought his fingers to a thick padding-- but burns are a different matter entirely. He got some while waitering and sometimes cooking for staff meals, but never to this extent.

Usopp concedes and puts down the block.

“Haki is something essential in the Grand Line,” he begins, deciding that explanation is prompt here while Sanji is listening for once. “For the  _ normal _ people like us, it’s the only way we can stand up against most Devil Fruit users in the world.”

Luffy doesn’t say a thing about how he’s being indirectly called an abnormal person. He simply listens, and waits for the rest.

“Remember the smoke guy in Loguetown?” Usopp prompts, “his devil fruit makes him intangible, doesn’t he?”

“Smokey, right?” Luffy nods. “He could touch me, but I couldn’t hit him at all!” he says. Then he remembers-- “how did he know I  _ didn’t _ have Haki?” 

(He had, after all, specifically grumbled on the fact that Nami was following a chump like him. Luffy was going to prove him wrong next time.)

Usopp responds by pulling Luffy’s cheek-- to which the rubber captain whines loudly.

Sanji-- this is the first time he’s seen it used this way-- blinks amazedly at it. “It can bypass rubber properties?” he wonders. “So even a Logia?”

Usopp nods. “It’s the power to enforce your will outwards,” he says, describing it as vaguely as it can. “And when you achieve that peak-- it shows as a physical representation.” 

Luffy and Sanji’s attention is sucked right in as Usopp’s eyes gleam a bright red against his usual black sheen. 

Then they fade out, and Usopp picks up the slab of wood again. 

“Freaky,” Sanji notes, and Usopp shrugs. 

“Knowing how to utilize Haki is one of the requirements to become a Marine Vice Admiral,” the sharpshooter says, just for scale, “it’s not enough to just know how to use it, but it’s the starting point.”

And that, to Luffy, meant a very startling revelation.

(So, in the opinion of the two Grand Line veterans on his crew, Luffy wasn’t even at the  _ starting line _ yet?) 

(Usopp and Nami are both there, waiting for him to get to their level?)

As a captain-- as a captain, this shouldn’t be how it is.  He’s supposed to pull them forward together. Not the other way around-- this doesn’t sound right at all. This doesn’t sound right at  _ all _ .

“Usopp!” he says, almost immediately. “Teach me Haki!”

Usopp is more than happy to comply.

“I’m not a master or anything, so it's not going to be easy, alright?”

Sanji clicks his tongue at that. “Well I bet you aren’t, being blind and all. I’ll overtake you as soon as I figure it out,” he mutters. A moment later he clarifies that, “Nami-swan is perfect as she is, though!” 

And he’s right. He, and subsequently Zoro and Luffy, will definitely overtake him and Nami in a flash. Once they unlock Haki, they can only go up from there.

(But what about Nami and Usopp?)

Usopp falters at the thought.

(No, no,) he shakes his head. (He’ll be strong enough once he gets his Pop Greens, and once he masters his Haki in different, more advanced ways.)

Deep inside, something whispers to him, a grim and dark realization.

(You’re in a stalemate, aren’t you?) It taunts him. (When are  _ you _ going to get stronger?) He crushes his hat over his head and tries not to let it bother him.


End file.
